leffe186

I'm saving mine for a double gameweek.

Gary Lineker‏@GaryLineker 2 footballing Giants have been drawn together in the Europa league as Dortmund face Spurs. Elsewhere Manchester United take on Liverpool.

I have to set it up early, because the cut-off time here is typically 6:30am on a Saturday .

I always used to like West Brom awaydays in the past - but I have a soft spot for the Black Country. I'm talking 80s and 90s for the most part, though. I suspect I posted this 5/6 years ago: Arsenal for obvious reasons Liverpool for "gloryhunting cunts when I was a kid" reasons (and the self-righteousness) West Ham (local rivals, owned and run by cunts, everything about the Olympic Stadium but especially the fact that it shafts Leyton Orient, my second team) I no longer think of Man City and Chelsea as being really clubs at all - certainly not the ones I grew up with. I generally hate whoever our rivals are at a given time. Hence Aston Villa are no longer hated (plus they're my wife's club, and I'm not allowed to talk about them in her company), Everton ebb and flow (although by Christ, their fans are whiny - 1878 and Neil not included here), Leicester are suddenly loathsome.

I'm usually of the school of thought that wants a "Chelsea" draw - home to somebody shit. No longer. Count me in for the cliche "this is what it's all about". Buzzing for this tbh, although I have a feeling we're going to get gubbed. I'm still pinching myself to see if this season is real. Just hope we get a decent ref.

Spurs' starting XI average age was 23.9. Our subs were 18, 20, and 21. Just saying.

I thought he was literally called "Regen".

Am I being a homer, or has every decision this referee has made just been completely at random?

HE'S MAKING IT UP AS HE GOES ALONG. Fuck me, but they're irritating. That Alli booking was absolutely fucking ludicrous.

I know our refs aren't great, but honestly, I feel like European refs just completely make it up as they go along.

This would be the quintessential Pardew win.

Reminds me of our wins at your place under him. Rinse & repeat, I tell you, rinse & repeat.

Because their kit is more colourful?

60% possession, 11 shots, hit the posts and cleared off the line on multiple occasions. Palace one shot on target. 0-1.

Rinse & repeat.

Fuck me, how have we not scored?

Only two players with names ending in consonants.

Defoe doing what he does. #lad.

I don't mind it, but that's probably because the only legit Blackburn fan I ever knew was a catering manager at Lords, who used to bring some amazing leftover food back. I can be bought so easily.

Encroaching, surely?

Eh? 1975 sure, but then qualifying for UEFA via the Intertoto, a Championship play-off Final and beating us in the league? Weird choices.

Even Hull made 10 changes for today.

Actually, I think we're more similar than that. It's more like we each have a board that decided on a particular approach and looked for managers that support the board in what they want to do. It's just that our board (Levy) decided the way forward was to buy young and develop youth, whereas your board (Ashley) wants a manager who won't rock the boat.

I don't miss that part of it . Never worked so many unpaid hours in my life, plus weekends, Boxing Day etc etc. My wife would not be my wife if I was still in retail management. That said, my typical day is getting in for 0653, then working until 1930/2000 with a half hour (unpaid) lunch. And if a patient tries to die after 1830, I can be in until 2030 or later. Mint.

That stops them getting the "big payday" though. Honestly, I'd rather scrap the League Cup than FA Cup replays.