ponsaelius

Tonali long term ban. Barnes long term injury. Hall and Livramento subs. I know a lot of this can't be helped but it's pretty annoying we spent £150 million and still have the same team as last year. Actually worse when you consider the injuries and no ASM.

Gambling is very highly regulated and I think it's quite difficult to get license to operate. Although it has been loosened significantly since mid 2000s, it's still pretty recent that you've been able to play online poker etc. Even now I think where games are entirely dependent on luck there are still heavy restrictions - so some forms of poker aren't allowed. I don't understand what the motivation would be to use an unlicensed platform though - unless it's to access luck based games that are otherwise restricted. Or if it allowed for anonymity or something. The latter is what would worry me - if they'd been using it to bet on football because it was unseen.

They will probably have to manage traffic and parking significantly going forward if they're looking at attendances going up further. It's very well served by the Metro station so is hardly a terrible location for a football stadium if managed.

They're pretty much well set up in terms of infrastructure and support to be a National League side now. Pushing up into the EFL will be harder without him around though you'd imagine.

It's pretty much confirmed at this point that he bet on football. It's not looking good at all tbh. Always seemed a weird signing from the outset for a host of reasons. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Milan had some knowledge of this.

Apparently Fagioli, the player originally caught up in the scandal, has said it was Tonali who gave him the betting app.

https://football-italia.net/tonali-to-negotiate-plea-bargain-but-faces-lengthy-ban-report/

Depending on arrival time Edinburgh - Newcastle is pretty easy and cheap so you've probably made right call.

Lol fantastic stuff.

Hosting Euro 2028 is a bit of an irritance tbh in terms of timing. I think you're going to be pushed to get work completed before then, while starting any work after that puts it years down the road. Hopefully we sack it off if necessary to get the stadium expanded.

Leazes Terrace is actually an enormous structure. I don't think people even realise it's an entire rectangular block not just a single front/back street. Then take into account the fact that the park and Leazes Crescent are both Grade II listed, and there's hundreds of mature trees. There'd be nothing left of it all by the time you were finished. The age old 'take it to Beamish' joke is genuinely a more reasonable suggestion. There's no doubt that the club has the money and means to do it. Demolishing and rebuilding stuff in fascimile isn't even particularly difficult. But it doesn't mean they'd ever get consent to do so. The club will be focusing on what they can do with St James Terrace as that is the more immediate, and more surpassable barrier. Along with what they can do with the metro to extend the Gallowgate.

Tbf that was a class last minute winner

ESR is very left sided, either LCM or lw, which makes him weird link imo.

Palace don't sell cheap mind so you're probably looking at £50 million. We'd probably have a better shot at getting Tomori of a similar profile.

Been playing left side for Palace but is right footed so could probably play the other side.

Withdrawn from Sweden squad due to injury.

Didn't hate the Olympic Stadium anywhere near as much as I thought I would. Obviously as a football stadium it's undoubtedly bad. The temporary nature of the stands to be able get close to the pitch is very naff. I stepped on a seat to get to the row in front as you often do and very nearly clean snapped it off. It's extremely difficult to generate an atmosphere in an away section with such a deep and narrow allocation separated by big open space. I was two rows from the front and my view was poor - while it seems if you're at the back it's like watching from another time zone. That being said I've been in traditional stadiums with worse atmospheres. They've tried hard to make it feel like a home stadium with the fan parks inside and out. I arrived via Victoria Park and Hackney Wick and the latter is a very decent spot for a pre-match drink, while the area east towards the Stratford stations on the other side is really nice in terms of landscaping/public realm. As always the level of investment in London in the built environment blows my mind when you're used to the north. There seemed to be a decent post-match buzz all the way from the stadium up to Stratford International. The weather definitely helped, mind. It felt a bit like being at an international tournament in the middle of summer. Can imagine it's nowhere near as nice to go to as the cold weather and dark nights creep in. That's when you want a ground where you can walk straight out and into the pub next door rather than across huge expanses of open space.

My biggest criticism of Howe is how he is basically allergic to changing systems. Generally I prefer a manager like that who is commited to his Plan A philosophy and imposing it on the opposition, but he takes it to the extremes. We barely ever even make minor adjustments.

Imagine if somebody told you two years ago that in October 2023 Jamaal Lascelles would be leading us out in the CL against PSG with a giant floating drone display above the stadium. Fucking hell sportswashing is a hell of a drug

Anybody know if Whitley Park is cash/card on the door for U23s?

You say that but he has pretty consistently looked better at LB than CB. Both here and at Brighton. His rise up to PL performer has come playing on the left side (even as a wing back) not as a CB. He looked all over the place in the middle the other week.

Paully D, man

Yasss

I'll upgrade on this. I'd rather watch Tony Pulis' Stoke side play Otto Rehhagel's Greece.

He's been wank in both so far, unfortunately. I like the lad and am desperate for him to do well but fuck me the last two games he has been brutal. Just play a pass to a team mate ffs.