Yorkie

Ergh I really hope he stays. Not even just for the sentiment, but also a lot that.

Didn't quote me did you?, coward Teasy man he was just riffing with you. Controversial yet brave meme.

These Europa results.

I see Mainz are currently beating Strasbourg 2-0. Assumed the latter were one of the sides with any likelihood of stopping Palace.

Sort of, but reads more like he's had to clean up a mess of his own making imo. Wherever you stand on Howe, it's clumsy as fuck by the CEO and he needs to get with the program. The press don't really give a shiny shite about your PowerPoint about the finances; whatever you say about the manager or individuals - that's what's going to print. Like I say, wise up or shut up.

The optimist in me hoped that Hopkinson had primed Howe to expect some non-committal - essentially performative - comments to the press, given the Sunderland defeat. If he's had to give assurances since the comments then it turns out he was just careless as fuck. Hopefully he either wises up or shuts up.

Literally any PL club would be disgracing themselves by not winning it.

It'll be an even sadder state if they progress. Here's hoping they don't.

I don't agree with that at all but probably best not to go into the reasons yet again. To put it non-specifically, my view is that whilst we clearly had our own issues, we got royally fucked by factors broadly out of our control.

If Tonali is leaving, I think avoiding an Isak-like fiasco hinges entirely on the player's behaviour. That was the main reason it played out on the way that it did last summer. It's all very well saying "we'll only sell you for the right price and you'll be staying here unless someone pays it," if the player has a good attitude and is happy to commit to the team in the event he stays. But if the player is literally going on fucking strike - thereby: turning himself into a financial albatross, dramatically reducing his transfer value, and dividing the squad - it puts us between a rock and a hard place. In that scenario we've got three options: -- sell early, thereby preventing a saga and moving on quickly... at the cost of selling him for a price probably well below our valuation -- sell only when we receive an offer close to our valuation... at the cost of a disruptive saga and our own recruitment planning -- don't sell, thereby upholding a hardball reputation but at goodness known what cost; potentially the most of all Given our PSR situation and the critical need for us to maximise every sale we can (remember how many offers we rejected for Longstaff!), I think we were backed into the second option and it's a fucking miracle we still managed to get £130million out of Liverpool.

Never heard of Rushworth but see he's got two full seasons of Championship football under his belt. 0 goals in 200+ appearances not the best record though.

Assume you're happy with goalie duties again?

You'll be absolutely fine, mate. Don't overthink it. Great that you're coming along.

People like True Geordie are like Liam Neeson in that shite movie 'Unknown' he starred in whilst riding on the coat-tails of Taken. They're playing a character and, at some point along the way, get a bang to the head, then wake up having adopted the character as their true personality.

Thing is with Tino he really ain't all that on the right hand side. Exceptional on the left but Hall still probably better. I've no idea if Williams is the one but I don't feel like an upgrade is an impossible job there.

But he’s from the premier league True. And if anything their comments reminded me of what the Brentford fans were saying about Wissa this time last year, so someone probably ought to slash our brain-dead scouts' tyres before it's too late.

A quick scan of the Forest forum seems to reveal wall-to-wall adoration of the lad with many calling him their player of the season. Very consistent with great tackling and delivery, according to them. Also noticed someone share a Romano tweet which just said loads of teams would be in for him this summer.

Morning, Dokko.

He's 24, plays both sides and has PL pedigree, so it makes sense as a rumour. But he's a regular starter in the PL so you know he'd cost a bomb.

Knockout Wembley

Bloody thing. Still, we're certainly a long way behind those we're supposed to be chasing. Man City and Chelsea are just printing money.

Appreciate the insights, @Minhosa. It's so critical that our academy ups is game so this is all really encouraging. I asked ChatGPT to create a table which defined each PL club using two metrics - pathway into first team and revenue generation - and it reckons that, cumulatively, we're the team getting the least out of its academy. Obviously it's AI so you can't put too much weight into its conclusions but I think it's probably true. 🟥 Manchester United Pathway strength: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Revenue efficiency: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ Rashford, McTominay, Garnacho (pathway); Henderson, Elanga (sales) Best first-team integration; less profitable via sales 🔵 Chelsea Pathway strength: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mount, Reece James, Chalobah (pathway); Abraham, Hudson-Odoi, Loftus-Cheek (sales) World-leading revenue output; pathway exists but most leave via sales 🔴 Arsenal Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Saka, Smith Rowe, Nketiah (pathway); Iwobi, Willock, Balogun (sales) Balanced: play some, sell others 🔴 Liverpool Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Elliott (pathway); Brewster, N Williams, Wilson (sales) Top-heavy elite talent; moderate revenue generation 🟢 Southampton Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Ward-Prowse, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers (pathway & sales) Excellent non-big-six club; both pathway & sales strong 🔵 Manchester City Pathway strength:⭐⭐☆☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Phil Foden (pathway); Palmer, Lavia, Bazunu (sales) Many leave via sales; pathway into first team very narrow 🔴 Liverpool Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Alexander-Arnold, Jones, Elliott (pathway); Brewster, N Williams, Wilson (sales) Top-heavy elite talent; moderate revenue generation 🟣 Aston Villa Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Grealish, Ramsey (pathway); Grealish sale (revenue) Small volume but high-quality integration & sale 🔵 Brighton Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Ferguson, Mac Allister (youth integration); mostly B-team to sales Emerging academy, gradually improving 🟡 Leeds United Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Phillips, Gray (sales) Low volume but high-value sales 🔵 Everton Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Barkley, Gordon Historically solid but inconsistent 🟣 West Ham Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Declan Rice Famous “academy of football”; very selective but lucrative 🟤 Brentford Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Mainly B-team graduates Non-traditional model; excellent revenue output, limited pathway ⚫⚪ Newcastle United Pathway strength:⭐⭐☆☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐☆☆☆ Sean Longstaff, Elliot Anderson Very limited first-team integration & sales historically 🟠 Wolves Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Semedo, Fábio Silva Some development & sales; not elite 🔵 Crystal Palace Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Wan-Bissaka, Olise Decent integration, moderate sales 🔴 Nottingham Forest Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Brennan Johnson, Grabban (sales mostly) Emerging pathway & sales post-Prem promotion 🟢 Fulham Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Tosin Adarabioyo, Sessegnon Moderate pathway and sales 🔴 Bournemouth Pathway strength:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Revenue efficiency:⭐⭐⭐☆☆ Brooks (sale) Small academy, occasional sales

What a fantastic result and season they're having, gutted I've not made it to any. 8000 home fans in there to witness it today. Everything still in the balance given the last fixture but you wouldn't get against them getting it done in advance of.

That's mint, like all your stuff, but he deserves a full stand display a la Gordon/ASM/Isak.

Pure WC06 the way that went in.