Superior Acuña

Don’t really know tbh but I’d just think of them as a bigger club than Palace. But that’s what I mean about it not being surprising though. They’ve finished in the top 8 the last four seasons and been in the final of this 2 of the 4 times, semi last year as well.

Crystal Palace 2 up v Fiorentina in a European QF and it’s not surprising, what a time to be alive

Didn’t remember that Tottenham went out in the old group stage when they were in it Villa knocked out by Olympiacos in the semi. Leicester by Roma in the semi (L entered later as Europa drop outs) West Ham and Chelsea won it.

Most likely. Unless Leeds or Southampton win the FA Cup. Or Chelsea drop out of top 8 and win it.

The FA Cup and League Cup are competitions including all league teams in England (and therefore some of the best in the world). The Conference League excludes those teams and is an explicitly, by design, 'lower' than two other competitions - it's also new so doesn't have tradition behind it, which is an important intangible in football imo. Can say the same about the Europa being lower, but it's to a lesser extent. The Europa also has the benefit of a long history (but tbh I would also consider winning the domestic cups a bigger achievement than the Europa these days). It is a 'proper' trophy. But i'd put it this way - I'd have been disappointed to win that before we won the LC, I think that being the cup to break our drought would've felt a bit hollow. A half cup. I don't care about that now, so would like to win it, but it'd feel a lot different to winning the other cups imo.

The conf league is the only trophy I don't totally see as a 'proper' trophy, but I'd still like to win it now that we've got that monkey off our back. I also wonder if the early CL rounds are low quality enough that we could get through without it being anything like as disruptive for our league than the CL was. I also just think for our rep being in Europe and the top 8 consistently, even on a poor season like this one, helps cement us as one of the bigger clubs.

See him cover his face with emotion at the final whistle at 2:10:15. Was so glad he was part of that - it made me sad when we lost the 2023 final thinking key transformational players like him weren't going to get to share in that first cup. Honestly him leaving and thinking about it at all has really put the derby defeat into perspective.

One Christian Bassedas's old club.

Was trying to find a picture of that guy who bought bottled water and cut off his mains, thinking he’d be buzzing about this Knox sponsorship. There should be a link on the board to that one

That’s lovely, really never saw that as much of a possibility

Can’t add much, love him and so glad he stayed and got to lift our first trophy in a generation, wouldn’t have happened without him.

I'll miss the sponsorless training gear like. My lovely burgundy one from last season got nicked too.

Giggs? There are now 20 min highlights for every PL game ever https://www.premierleague.com/en/welcome/the-archive/all-categories/1994-95/all-matchweeks?team=4

I've had 2 successes from 28 attempts, so that's 7% for me. Incidentally both successes were Carabao Cup

It's even longer since Italy were at a WC as it is since we beat the mackems at SJP.

Yes, that's the point - anything else undermines him.

Grim, Eddie can't be happy with that.

Love that ManU free kick, which often gets forgotten since we lost. Had a great view from the away end. Tottenham in the semi has a special place for being a combo of both class and triggering ecstatic scenes as it confirmed our place in the cup final.

7th do have 5 fewer points now than 7th did at the same stage last season. Brentford on 46, Villa were there on 51 after 31 games last year. It finished with Forest there on 65.

Hauled home

Don't believe Targett has any full international caps

In our remaining fixtures last year, we only got 4 points! Might be the only part of the season we do better this time. Last season we lose all three of these home fixtures, and won 1 (Forest), drew 1 (Palace) and lost the other two of our aways.

Lent us Rossi as well.

Money is an important factor, but I do think the massive prestige of ManU is a big draw too. As money-driven as a lot of players might be, I do think there's also a lot of players that will care about that kind of thing too.

I reckon I probably underestimated the effect of having a threat like him occupying defenders, even in games where he didn't make much of a direct contribution.