Hughesy

It can easily be debated though - for example, my wife's cousin is from Singapore and lived in NYC for the last 10 years. She rates the Asian food in London as being far superior to the Asian food you get in NYC. Obviously that's only one person's opinion (although that obviously applies to your opinion and my opinion etc), but it's a bit odd to assert that the food options in the US are automatically better because of the number of people and the greater diversity. Using those parameters, you'd probably decide the US has the best food in the world - which, for the avoidance of doubt, it clearly doesn't.

This - probably the two I watch most. Just stunning goals. If anything the second (not the volley) is almost more insane than the first.

I think one needs to possibly separate London from the rest of the UK when it comes to analysing food availability/quality. I genuinely can't think of many cuisines in the world that don't have at least a few exceptional restaurants in London.

Doesn't help that for certain periods of time when we were good, they weren't even in the same division (94/95, 95/96, 97/98 and 98/99 (although we weren't very good ourselves then), 2003/04). Could easily have done more than 6 in a row in those times.

Absolute nonsense about the variety and quality of food available in London compared to the US, even NYC. London has one of the most diverse dining cultures in the world.

Admittedly I haven't been at a game where VAR has been used, but I don't really get the idea that you now can't celebrate the scoring of a goal. Surely you just celebrate on the assumption that you have scored a goal? Goals get disallowed quite frequently anyway for offside or various infringements, but it doesn't stop people celebrating as if the goal is a goal. It's the same in cricket - the point at which you take a wicket is still a moment of celebration. Just seems a s*** argument to me. EDIT: hadn't read Wullie's post, but I don't agree!

I agree. What an arse. His "I'm a Liverpool fan" (so live with it) passive-aggressive BS was especially grating. I don't listen often, but it seems like an unwritten rule that the 606 host can just shout any listener down before cutting them off, so any arsehole tendencies are only reinforced. It's sad to hear Jimbo's talents now on a lesser podcast full of adverts for Paddy Power. It seems like that (awful) Ian MacIntosh bloke has lured him away with claims of how much money the Football Ramble must make. Since he's taken Horncastle and Michael Cox with him, he's weakened the Guardian podcast without producing anything as listenable as the Guardian's used to be. The Football Ramble is just the same as ever and will depend on whether you find them funny, or funny enough to ignore any of them you don't like, cough, cough Luke Moore. They have gambling ads, but they are much more inoffensive than Ian MacIntosh talking to some "Paddy" character about bets. That part is virtually unlistenable. I rate Lineker but I think he is wasted as a presenter and should be unleashed as a pundit. When he gets to say what he thinks, about the England team etc., it's usually pretty good. Think the Totally Football Show is pretty good now to be honest - think the early shows weren't up to it, but they've improved and have a good range of guests. Don't find the Paddy Power stuff too offensive - at least it's at the end so you can just stop listening at that point.

Only real exposure to Kelly Cates is on Totally Football Show and I find she grates quite a lot. From snippets I've seen, she's much better on TV when she's hosting rather than a contributing guest. Rory Smith is exceptional whenever he's on Set Piece Menu or Five Live and his articles are great. I think Mark Douglas is massively underrated - think his longer pieces are pretty good, but I feel he gets a rough ride on here. James Richardson and most of the regulars on the Totally Football Show - Laurens, Horncastle, Honigstein, Cox - are pretty good. Think David Preece is very good as well.

Really? Understand thinking he's competent, but that seems a bit overboard.

Think he's played well since he's returned and I've never been a fan of his. Watching him again did remind me of how frustrating it is to watch him from a technical viewpoint. He is basically incapable of playing one touch passes. Every time the ball comes to him, he has to take a touch to control it and then pass it. But we have looked more solid since he's back, so long may it continue.

Never been he's biggest fan, but played brilliantly yesterday. While I appreciate that very few players can produce their best performances every week, it's somewhat frustrating that the things that really stood out in his performance yesterday were the 'easy' things that he should be able to reproduce far more consistently - i.e. tackling and closing down. In some ways that should be the bare minimum he produces.

Looking more and more like the player that he was predicted to be in that Michael Calvin book - basically has all the raw attributes you could want in a centre half. And he couldn't have a better manager to develop under.

Yep - almost hadn't noticed how good it was at the time. Great header.

Thought he was great today. Makes such a difference having a composed keeper and a ball playing centre half.

This guy.. what a keeper.

Knock for Pogba? Pulled up pretty quick.

Yeah, Conn's pretty well known for exactly this kind of stuff. He's pretty reliable.

Think it's just that, out of the top sides, I feel we are best suited to cope with Man Utd's style of play. I can easily see us being torn apart by a Liverpool, Spurs, Man City style team, in a way that I can't see Man Utd doing (while being fully aware that they handed us one of our heaviest defeats this season already). Even in the reverse fixture, I actually thought we played ok and gave them a few problems. And I also watched a Slimani goals compilation. That was enough for wild optimism.

No idea why I feel optimistic about this game. Just got a nagging sense we might get something.

Thought he was absolutely fine today against supposedly one of the league's better wingers.

Hopefully Davie Selke. Not that we would get him, but I for one would be honored to "fall for it" for one day. Maybe him - but I assume it will be some out of favour striker somewhere. No-one sensible would sell one of their first choice strikers at this stage..

Latest Douglas article says he's been told we have interest in a striker in Germany. He seemed sceptical...

Please just do the deal. Pay the money.

I suppose people (certainly me) was hoping for a striker more in the mold of Rafa signing Torres or Higuain. Not in terms of ability or price obvs but their style of play and what they can bring to the team, an upgrade on Gayle. So a Sturridge or maybe King or something. Instead it looks like we're getting an upgrade on the Mitro/Joselu role. Joselu can have games where he plays that role well and brings others into play, if this lad can do that consistently and bury the chances Joselu misses when they come his way then that's fine, especially if Rafa decides to add some more pace in behind now with the addition of Ken Kenedy. In Rafa we trust. Agree with this really - slightly underwhelmed by Jorgensen (or indeed anyone of his ilk). I thought it wouldn't be unrealistic to set our sights on someone with a slightly better reputation with a decent goal scoring record in a better league. Ultimately the wages we pay should be high enough to attract most players outside the PL and the obvious clubs, so we shouldn't necessarily be limiting ourselves to a player like Jorgensen. But maybe we just can't/aren't willing to compete in that market anymore and this is the best we can hope for. I totally appreciate I'm basing my knowledge off a combination of twitter, various football management games and world soccer etc, but I would much rather we took a punt on someone like Luan for €18m (https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-categorically-not-talks-sign-14195085) than Jorgensen, but we've got to trust Rafa.

Seems to weigh in with a few assists as well as goals, but no idea how good he is.