ponsaelius

It's felt like this could happen all game like. Really poor.

Probably worst performance of the season. Villa a good side admittedly. Feels exactly like the game two seasons ago.

At the moment it's a matter of time before Villa score again. Got to say I don't know what we can really do to change it. We know our bench is what it is.

Love Murphy but this is not the game for him

100%. It's an option we don't have against teams that are any good and press high. We always have to look for the channels or kick long.

Yeah feels like we'd go up another level with a CB with pace and a goalkeeper who can pass the ball.

Watkins feels like the worst kind of player for our back four to play against, running us ragged like he did in that game two years ago.

Bastards

Is it not just a case of the biggest city never to have a top flight club? IE without the PL cut off. I think it probably is Wakefield - the city area is like 325k. Although that's a bit of a fudge as the town itself is much smaller and it's not really a contiguous urban area. If we're talking proper cities, it is Plymouth. Bristol City played in the top flight in the late 70s.

It's four not five that you must name. And if Longstaff goes we will have zero, as Gillespie is not home grown. So we will have to name a 21 man squad (with four empty spaces) if Longstaff goes - but Miley would not need to be named so would effectively be a 22 man squad. It's not ideal but I don't think the club will prioritise keeping players for those purposes over getting fees for players who aren't good enough long term tbh.

No he doesn't, correct. However the point kinda still stands in that he's basically an extra first team player that doesn't need to be named in the squad. If Longstaff goes we're going to have a 21 man squad in the CL - so having Miley around as an extra player is very useful. We're even thin on the ground for U21 players as all the ones we've signed in last couple of years can't be registered as youth players in Europe.

If the Europa has the play-off round losers from the CL drop into it and had the current Conference League entrants from the top 5 leagues from the outset - would make it a stronger competition again. Everything is just spread too thinly now for me. You've got a massive bloated CL where most of the clubs will be present but never come close to winning it - teams that would have previously had a good shot of winning the EL. Then you've got everybody else left over strewn across two other massive competitions.

Yeah basically I think the Europa league needs more quality dropped into it - but conversely the Conf League needs the the top 3 or top 5 leagues taken out of it to be more true to its intentions.

Doesn't need an extension if he's already got another year. I've thought he should go off into the sun on a high tbh but he's playing so well at the moment that I'm leaning towards wanting him to stay. Particularly if there is only pittance of a fee and saved wages on the table. We'd probably need to sign another fullback if he went and it'd be easier if we could kick the can down the road on that.

If he's available at a reasonable price this summer I see absolutely no reason we wouldn't go back in for him again. We've proven to go back in for targets we've missed out on before. Not worth the money we were linked with last summer but I think he'd add something different to our defensive line and no doubt Howe could take him up to another level. I'm not holding the armband incident against him either. Really don't think the lad has any malice in him personally.

The sheer financial power means they're stronger and will start winning this competition on the regular even if they're absolutely shite. That's my point and it's shit. It's probably going to be an all English final this year with two teams who are barely above relegation in an ordinary season.

You also had teams who would fall into it early on through fucking up qualifying as well, that doesn't happen anymore as the big leagues are straight in to the groups regardless. CL is bloated and Waffa Cup has been diluted beyond repair I think these days.

Don't think it would make any difference, as those are mostly the teams who would have finished bottom in the old group format. You'd always get 3-4 good sides at least drop in from finishing 3rd, now they play the play-off round in the CL instead and then go home. Like said above, better the devil you know for sure.

I'm trying to work out what you mean here but I don't get it - are you not just saying the same as me?

Always thought CL teams dropping into the Europa was a load of bollocks but I've changed my mind, they need to change it back. This tournament is going to become dominated by underperforming but overpowered PL teams winning it just to get the CL cash.

Honestly wouldn't fancy Lazio to beat Spurs anymore than Bodo based on the two legs. The plastic pitch/arctic circle thing is such a levelling factor for them. Spurs heavy favourites regardless.

Probably the worst night of footy I can remember in a long time that like, kinell

They can't, they've got Bilbao

Vile night of football