brummie

Our real local rivals are also not in the same league. Wolves isn't a derby match for us. However, it is the one upcoming fixture that concerns me, as it looks exactly the sort where more than often, we get nothing. If I was going to bet on points being dropped, it'd be that fixture. It's one of those 'local rivalries' where they get really really wound up about us, but we just shrug at them (like you and Boro). The rest, though, looks a nice run. Amazed we're doing so well. I think the first day disaster was a particular set of circumstances, and when Mings went off I think we collectively lost it (mentally). We haven't really looked like getting really near our best so far this season, so to have taken 15 points and be fifth, given the toughness of our opening games, and given what happened on the first day, is remarkable. Also worth noting - our entire left side in Moreno and Ramsey out injured since last season or the summer (till this last week in Ramsey's case), plus Mings (who is our 'leader' in many ways) and Buendia (a player Emery really clearly likes) almost certainly out for the season, that's a really, really tough bunch of players to have injured.

Not fooling me, toon25. I know you're still on cloud nine over the 6-1.

That was all really tough on Liverpool Ha ha ha, the wankers. Excellent.

Boo hoo everyone hates us, it's a conspiracy when things happen to us that happen to other clubs three times as much. I am having no truck whatsoever with the 'bin dipper' line of criticism, but fuck me, Liverpool at times are unbelievable.

What nonsense. He'd cost significantly more than that.

19m, ha ha ha, dear oh dear. Are you sure you don't meant Cole Ramsey, the youngest of the three?

BTW that is ten home league wins in a row now, amazing statistic considering this time a year ago, we were 17th. Also, not had a single 0-0 draw home or away under Emery.

Afternoon, all. Who wants to touch me?

the men’s shirts are a joke. Amazed it has taken so long to hear the players hate them, they can’t be comfortable to play in.

Probably hasn't got the strength these days.

Do you get this match free to ST holders? We don't, not any more. My seat for our match against Everton - a team we've already played at home this season in the league - would have cost me an insane £39. They can go and fuck themselves for this one, reckon there'll be 30k tops in the ground.

It was a joke about us not being in the PL at the time of the article.

Ah, I see looking at the description of the changes needed at the various grounds in that article, Villa and Newcastle were both, ahem, excused for some reason I can't recall.

One of my pet hates is the way broadcasters consider we are all, in fact, total fucking idiots. So, a few years ago, they're desperate to establish Robbie Savage as 'a character' the average person who likes football will like, despite 99% of supporters thinking he's an absolute insufferable bell-end. How many people watch matches and listen to his chuntering and think "Yeah, he's a real addition to the quality of the broadcast", cunting on about god knows what? Yet the BBC force-fed us him for years. The latest is Micah Richards. Now, I think he's a total bell-end already, on the basis of his time with us as a player, but his need to be a constant source of 'bantz' with that stupid fucking laugh, it's so annoying. I tried listening to that Rest is Football podcast (as I like the History and Politics ones from the same stable) and it's literally seconds until he bursts out laughing, like the big witless goon he is. He's not a national treasure, he's a twat, so stop inflicting him on us.

Late to this, but are there really rules around away fan positioning? We used to give them the whole lower North Stand (ie opposite the Holte end, full width of pitch behind the goal) until Martin O'Neill made them move it to the location they are now (the only piece of long term thinking he ever engaged in with us).

Talking of Chelsea, Poch looks like the stress is already getting to him. First of all, double breasted jacket? What's that about? Plus he's put a ton of weight on and looks well flabby. There were photos of Paul Lambert sat next to Roy Keane when they were 'managing' us and they looked like a couple of bloated tramps. Then Lambert got the sack, went on holiday, and came back looking at least 15 years younger. Pochettino looks like the earlier photo.

Over the ball, straight into his shin, awful challenge. You can't be putting in challenges like that and not expect to risk getting sent off.

You're like a 1980s self-loathing gay man. You KNOW your truth, and so do I.

Good to see Jacob Ramsey get a decent run out for us today. We've basically had, since last season, our entire left side out in Ramsey and Moreno. Massive for us to have one of them back and the other in the next week or so. Chelsea are absolute dog shit. Not sure how it is possible to spend that much money and not manage to buy a reliable goalscorer. Or how Caidedo and 'Enzo' cost 230m between them. Also, no idea what Conor Gallagher is supposed to offer.

Not a prayer Digne keeps his place. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Moreno starts tomorrow.

He's a bit like Pau Torres with us. Young, never played abroad before, in fact played almost all his previous football at or near home (Lodi, Brescia, Milan), having to get used to a different language, a different league. He's going to have bad games, he's going to make mistakes, he's not going to be a world beater as soon as he's dropped in. When I think back to when I was 23, I was probably still climbing trees, shoplifting and playing conkers for fun, let alone handling all that. Needs time.

It's probably worse for away fans. I reckon there's more train coverage late night weekdays than there are Sunday evenings. Not that anyone involved in running football ever gives a flying fuck about away fans. Although you lot should be noisy about this, as you don't really get any 'local' aways.

Anyone else absolutely freaked out by seeing players you remember watching play, who were younger than you at the time, but are now managers and look really old? Simone Inzaghi, just saw him now, sporting at least 3 chins and looking about 50. It doesn't seem right.

Treble: Man City to win the CL, Liverpool to win the Europa League, Villa to win the Conference. 53/1. Basically, spending my winnings already.

That was a good result for you. Milan will be thinking tonight that was a bad result for them. That's logic for you.