wormy

Excuse me, but I think you'll find he's made them hard to beat.

The lack of accountability for the firms themselves is astounding. Even one single brand can fulfil a self-perpetuating cycle of introducing a 'next manager of x club', market push rumours about that next manager on their own news channels before touting the betting prices they created and taking money based on their own unsubstantiated rumours. Totally above board. But God forbid a lad's mates make a bit of profit on his next place of work. It goes without saying that that rant is also totally separate to if someone is betting on things that can influence an actual match.

It hadn't clicked with me that he was still with us when he started. Probably Big Mike's betting mule.

I'd probably gain a bit of respect if that's what he did. Might as well go balls out the bath if you're going to be an idiot.

I can't get over us being at or near the top of multiple positive stats as both a club and individuals.

The whole breach/bet 'difference' is interesting. Just reading this old article about Barton and it seems the FA handpicked the most egregious breaches out of 1200 or so bets; That reads to me that the 232 'breaches' could be all of bets placed, the most egregious handpicked, or somewhere in between. If they've gone for most egregious but can still only narrow that down to 232 he could be royally fucked.

I'd say tbf to him that's only about a bet a week but that seems to tie in too nicely to a football club's season schedule.. To a cynic like me that doesn't look good at all.

Fair enough. Wondered if it was a knock on effect from Covid but Uefa dicking about is just as unsurprising.

Am I going mad or don't tournament hosting bids normally start way earlier than 5 or so years away from the tournament?

Well that settles it. It was clearly@Heron, the cheeky rascal. Explain yourself!

Surely the fact its been one of the biggest focuses so far in reports of their meeting means he is being scrutinised for it?

Wow. Appears to have been starting regularly for them too. Three assists though.

The dislike is weird tbh. He's not everyone's cup of tea but who is? It's a strange aggression for someone who I don't see doing much more than silly dances and trying to build a brand. Such a weird argument that because he does that he obviously doesn't spend enough time 'focusing' on his career, too. The ship may have sailed as far as him being a useful acquisition for us but I wish him all the best whether with Forest or anywhere else.

By my quick Wiki math no. It says he was with us '00-'08, born '92 which makes him 16 when he left so doesn't meet the 3 years 15-21 criteria Stev mentioned.

Did Botman actually reject us? It felt more like we couldn't agree terms with at least one of him or Lille before the end of January. Besides, he/his agents didn't then dick us around for a second transfer window. I've got no hard feelings toward him, especially as it was probably agent-driven. But purely from a practical sense I don't want to spend time on someone that doesn't seem genuinely interested in the club and it's project. He's young so I didn't hold the January rejection against him but I honestly think if PSG hadn't have come in for him he would've rejected us again in the summer. Howe and the club have done wonders in identifying good characters so I'd trust them if they go back in for him but I honestly don't think they will.

I've never been a big proponent of bringing Toney back but would he count? How has Mbabu looked at Fulham?

Was thinking that too. Wonder if its a conscious decision to give others the start when he'd only be there for a handful of games?

He can't help himself. I know he deserves to be #1 for England based on his international performances but I'll never stop expecting him to implode at a crucial point of a major tournament.

I love him. There's nothing more that needs to be said.

The irony of this thread appearing tonight is that Chelsea had almost 70 minutes available to go toe to toe until we really turned the dark arts screw. They pussied out of it up to then, especially first half, and that's their problem. We've never utilised bending of the rules in the way top teams do so it's satisfying to see. My only ref/rule related grumble is I do think certain players push their luck when it comes to complaining to the ref. It feels like Big Joe in particular is ready and waiting for an argument the first time a free kick goes against him, and I wonder if that only aides how they treat him. Bruno has an argumentative side to him too and I just don't think we've got the sway with the refs to justify it.

In positively jizzy at the thought of who we might get in to sustain this European charge.

The most satisfying thing about these games against the 'big guns' has been that we're never truly outclassed and more often than not, have been the better side.

Looking at ON's last update and the matches we require points to reach 60 look so outrageously winnable. I can't get over this whole going in to games with belief thing.

@Optimistic Nut Do the math! Do the math!

Disagree tbh. We've been horrendous at the snide side of the game for so long it's a novelty for me, especially when we play the rest of the game as well as Howe wants to.