Yorkie

Probably finish a second and fail to come up despite scoring approximately four million goals.

Ah gotcha

Surely you can recall Martins' somersaults? Flawed player but an icon. Loved him to bits.

What are they waiting 4!

Got to be Wissa, surely? Notwithstanding rotation needs, if these strikers are going to improve then they need to know that good performances = you're in the team, bad performances = you're out. They can push each other that way.

The original tweet being responded to is just thick as fuck, basically. Who's talking about underdog stories? Even if they were, we've outperformed our expenditure literally every season under Howe. The point about Elanga et al is basically a strawman argument in the PSR debate, too. Even if those three had made a positive impact instantly, it wouldn't mean PSR wasn't still a negative force on us. If anything it only amplifies the unfairness about how others can accommodate mistakes but we can't.

I liked Longstaff but he contributed next to nowt last season and it was time for him to go. He needs a run in the side to be useful. I've got high hopes for Ramsey; he's got a different skillset to Longy.

I think you've expanded on something I said which isn't really at the heart of the issue. Yes we should trade outwards, agreed; what I'm saying is: it isn't our whole modus operandi that we buy to sell, a la Brentford, Brighton, which is whose business we're supposed to be jealous of.

They don't deal in punts and low cost gambles because our ambitions are greater than just consolidating our position in the Premier League and flipping first-teamers for profit. We deal in high cost 'sure things' because PSR means we can't afford to make a mistake. If they don't work out, c'est la vie, it happens. But the logic is totally obvious and I genuinely don't see how you can be overly critical of it. All our signings may yet be successful. I'm quite happy to conclude that Jacob Ramsey is a better option than Sean Longstaff already.

Not going after you but it blows my mind that this is a legitimate response to what he's saying. What more evidence do you need that PSR has our balls in a vice?

this is just manufacturing future rage.

Yeah I think qualifying for the CL is more of a "can't hurt" when it comes to keeping players, but Isak proved it doesn't trump having your wages doubled. I don't necessarily think anyone else would go about it like him (still think there was an evil agent contributing to that fiasco), but we'll probably lose someone important no matter what this summer. Imo, where CL helps moreso is in attracting a certain calibre of incoming player. It still doesn't get us our first choices but you wonder how far down our shortlists we'd have had to go without it...

The irony is that the brutality of the Premier League, and the sheer scale of application required to do well in that division, opens the door to the European teams (with much less grueling domestic schedules) to go the distance in the CL.

Because they don't have to play each other.

Bologna had 36 shots against Celtic tonight.

If we were to get there, getting knocked out in the last 16 to fucking Liverpool would be the dampest of squibs. On the contrary, imagine knocking them out...

Thought he looked utterly unmoved by the gesture. He was exceptional last night. He's the technician we've been crying out for all season, really. It's very exciting that he appears to be continuing on the trajectory we all hoped for two years ago. That said, I'd probably continue to limit him to the bench most of the time and give Ramsey a bash in Bruno's stead. Miley is so crucial to us because he can fill-in two positions incredibly effectively, so we need to protect him. Still have him feature in every game, but from the bench imo.

Transfermarkt says he's only on loan at Napoli from Udinese. Napoli pretending he's their's to get 40mill? No one tell Udinese lol

Vinted is full of snides but they're easy enough to avoid imo. Whether that's checking the labels, condition, or quizzing the seller until you're satisfied. Would never bother with any verification service. With that one Fak posted above I'd be asking for pictures in daylight at the very least

See those on Vinted at not pisstakey prices a fair bit. I've got a black one in my favourites for £40 which looks in great nick.

I absolutely love the white shorts and socks and it looked class last night, as it always tends to. But it's certainly not, nor should ever be, our 'official' kit. Its usage is perfect the way it is: infrequent, so as not to muddle the identity, with a particular Euro vibe. I don't like it at all when it turns up unnecessarily in the league*. Teams who chop and change fundamental aspects of their kit have slightly less soul, for me. *Eg:

I got the same.

Proper man against boys performance from him tonight. Looked almost nonchalant at times. I can recall one or two bad performances from him this season but mostly it's felt like he's rolled it back to 22/23 when he's featured. Delighted he's committed himself to us and pray he stays fit cos he's really good.

I expect absolutely nothing from him atm and that's what you tend to get. I have faith it'll click at some point but don't think it'll be soon.

D'oh. Unreal. Easy 8.