Raconteur

How about the ball, though

If Ancelotti dies of a heart attack, is Pickford guilty of negligent homicide?

I loathe Bruce as much as most, but the idea Carver’s team played better football is absurd. We were an absolute rabble under him - as we have been many times under Bruce but, despite my sig, Bruce has some tactical ideas. Even if they’re frequently wrong. Schar in midfield, for instance. Seems Bruce felt it would give the team better defensive solidity, as well as another long-range passer next to Shelvey, giving us twice the opportunity to break with ASM and Almiron. It failed badly, but he’s giving thought to tactics. Even stuck with it for a second match to be sure. Carver didn’t even have that much of a clue.

Probably and certainly

Disinterested, or disenchanted? Not the same player under Bruce, and the centre midfield experiment has to end now.

Too bad he’s got a ready made excuse that his sycophants will be happy to parrot - winning comfortably until two individual mistakes against a plucky team fighting relegation. No scrutiny for the tactical diarrhoea that was the second half, or the substitutions...

Camera cut to him in the stands on 64 minutes while the likes of Joelinton and Benteleb were warming up - and I swear he didn’t have boots on. Can anyone else confirm they saw this too?

What the fuck does he say at half time to produce a second half performance like that? “Wind it back lads, keep some in the tank for Tottenham.”

Gabbidon (sp?) is an awful commentator - everything he says is either PFM garbage or plain wrong. And the Joe Ellington thing has to be deliberate, right?

This guy is an absolute potato. I genuinely think Ritchie would be a better option at left back.

Anyone know how long the Storm Gainz deal goes for? I’m not up on the tenants of Islam, but I would have thought cryptocurrency speculation would be haram?

I remember Ray Houghton scoring in about the tenth minute to help Ireland beat (eventual finalists) Italy 1-0 being a massive achievement

That was all kinds of insane. Who knew you could play Football Manager for real for only 200k? Thought this was heartbreaking:

A couple more performances like City and the very real risk of this happening will (hopefully) be diminished.

Cantona That was my first thought too. There have been lots of players come in and significantly improve their team - Cisse’s first six months here for example. But for one player to fundamentally change the way a team plays and to impose that sort of imperious control... VdV is a good shout but it’s difficult to see the same sort of effect from a defender.

Expecting our boys to amble around for 90 minutes as against City, waiting to get on the bus back home. If Watford turn up, they’ll win. But a goalless draw looks more likely...

Are you familiar with Mike Ashley? Why would he go along with cash owing to him not being in his pocket? That motherfucker knows the daily interest on £300m that he’s not collecting. He’s not going to sit back and say “Yeah, in your own time”.

Litmanen. And played for national team on 4 different decades, 80s,90s,00s and 10s. Outstanding shout And what a player. Up there with Baggio and Bergkamp in my near-top tier

I see young Allan is on the bench against City - would we rather see Muto or the youngster come on after 75 minutes of Joelinton loping around?

Struggling...thought Sheringham or Maldini might have done it, but they only managed 3 decades. The Roger Milla popped to mind! And yes, Ibrahimovic just manages it due to his first goals in 99 Thought about Romario but he retired in 2009. Need a career of over 20 years which starts in a year ending 8 or 9 so it’s about luck just as much as longevity He might have retired in 2009, but he last scored in 2007. Maldini was actually closer to this record

Truth

Probably improves their team, so...

We've won 2 in the last 10 Just means we have to play them 30 more times before our next win

Not just a goal-fest, but a tactical masterclass from Pep to erode some of the absurd goodwill Bruce has accumulated