Chicken Dancer

Sorry?

I obviously wanted Europe from a selfish perspective in that fact that I'd be able to do another European trip next season, as well as the nights at St James' - particularly if we got to the knockouts would have been great. I can't pretend I'm absolutely devasted though as it's not like they won't be here again in the next year or two. However, I do think it massively improves our chances of getting Champions League football again sooner rather than later. The top 2 are nailed on, but the other 2 (3?) spots are anyone's game to be honest. Liverpool in transition, Chelsea are a mess, Spurs & Man United could do anything and Villa will have to cope with a testing Champions League format with the potential of knockouts in the New Year. A kind set of fixtures to start the season and I reckon we will definitely be there or thereabouts next May. I'm an eternal pessimist but I'd consider us favourites but a lot will naturally depend on what we do this summer.

Love him, want him here for a long time and think he’s actually done a decent job this season all things considered. That being said, not getting Europe was a bit of a blow and can’t see owners giving him 25/26 if we’re in the same position in 12 months time.

It’s definitely a mentality thing. Man United have been pretty shit for two seasons in probably 75% of their games - consistently getting battered for 90 minutes but able to get to 3 finals and win 2 trophies. Fair play to them. They deserved to win yesterday, but they’re still cunts.

If Coventry can come back from 3-0 down to these, Man City can if they pull their fingers out. credit to Man United though they’ve been worthy.

Surely we'd give grace to the players who are going to the Euros & Copa America? No way should we be expecting them to go. Nor should we be going too like.

Got a rotten feeling we will both lose Sunday (us & Man Utd) and them jammy bastards will do a Wigan to Man City in the final

Mind I do agree he’s not shown (yet) he can be ruthless in his team selections, tonight isn’t on him. Away form over the season has been shit so I suppose that is on him, but tonight we could/should have scored 5 or 6.

Come on man. We lost a game but that’s ridiculous. We genuinely could have scored 5 goals and that’s being kind. Utterly frustrating we’ve got nothing to show for that but sadly you’ll get games like that a couple of times a season. We played well just defended terribly. In better news, they’ll stick with Ten Hag and they’ll be gash again next year. There’ll be talk of binning him, then he’ll get a lucky result and back to square one. The Man United we grew up watching dominate are years and years away.

Whilst I do agree it’s not a good look for the league for a team to win 4 in a row, when the alternatives are Arsenal or Liverpool then there’s only one winner for me personally. In any other season I’d have liked Arsenal to have won it, but the way they went on after the game up here in November - fans, players and especially their manager - made it impossible for me tbh. Maybe if they didn’t celebrate a 0-0 at the Etihad when City were there for the taking things would have been different. Understand the sentiment of the 115 charges lingering over the league, but it wasn’t Man City’s fault Liverpool lost to Everton & Palace and Arsenal lost at home to Villa. Both teams had it in their hands at different points late in the season and ultimately fucked it.

Interesting dynamic tonight. Will be an odd atmosphere for sure. Have a feeling Spurs gonna Spurs and get a result...

Hopefully they're not as compact as they were against Arsenal. I don't think they will be. Despite how crap their performances have been, they do get results every now and then. This alongside our record at Old Trafford & our away form means I'd probably be more than happy with a point, but absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be going there trying to win. The cup final was Howe's only defeat against them as our manager, and we've kept clean sheets in all but one of the one of the league games. Play to win and we probably will.

I don’t really take your point on this to be honest. Diaby was one of the most sought after young players in Europe last season and Aston Villa managed to sign him despite only being in the Conference League. Younger players will more often than not sign for the journey rather than the destination, and you’d like to think there’ll be gentlemen’s agreements in place that if we haven’t qualified for the Champions League in 2/3 years you’re allowed to seek a transfer. I’m not saying we’d be as attractive as Villa next season, but how often is it a straight shootout between two clubs for one player? We’ve been quite clear about the type of player we will target and I don’t believe the Conference League will deter them signing at all.

Fucking hell man. Regardless of whether it was an actual blade or not, something needs to be done about the amount of youngins seemingly carrying weapons these days. I'm not sure of the answer, but it absolutely terrifies me for the future. Some of the stories you see & read now are just horrible. Hopefully nobody was hurt last night (sounds like not) but the fact some little prick thought it would be a good idea to take something like that to a football match absolutely baffles me. Soft little prick would fold like a deck of cards if someone got hold of him.

Unrelated to the topic at hand but I think it's absolutely glorious that Newcastle & Villa have upset the apple cart and broke into the Top 4 back-to-back to upset the precious Sky 6. Thankfully, it seems a lot more fans of other clubs have had their eyes open as to how the whole thing is completely and utterly anti-competitive and designed to keep the good teams good. Long may it continue. I see no reason why Newcastle & Villa can't continue to challenge the likes of Man United, Chelsea & Spurs in the short term, despite restrictions. Obviously Villa being very good makes it more difficult for us, but ultimately it makes the league a better place with Newcastle & Villa challenging at the top end. It wasn't too long ago we were both in the Championship together. I'd love to have been a fly on the wall in Daniel Levy's office over the past 18 months.

To be fair that mock up isn't for me either. I'd be gutted if the Gallowgate lost the low roof. But I'd be more than happy with it if it meant an increased capacity and therefore more way for my mates to get a Season Ticket again.

I’m definitely in the camp of I’d definitely not want us to win if it helped Sunderland do something significant. It may be small time, but it’s a tiny price to pay in the grand scheme of things. Though I would also argue Arsenal’s title window will be open for a good few years yet, especially given Liverpool and probably Man City (relatively soon) will be going through transitional periods.

If anybody needs cheering up on their dinner break, I'd suggest going on RAWK. Glorious. There's even one spoilt bastard who thinks its pointless going back to Anfield this season It must be pretty crazy for those 50+ who've only seen them win 1 title in 34 years after being so successful in the 70s/80s (assuming they don't win it this year). For what it's worth, prior to their generally consistent challenges under Klopp, to me they were always a huge club that were mainly a cup team. The odd flirt for the title under Benitez & Rodgers aside, they were always floating behind Man U/Arsenal/Chelsea. I can't stand them but they've been incredibly unlucky to finish 2nd twice with 90 + points. Hilarious though. I do think they'll have a couple of 'down' years now - it seems pretty inevitable to me. I know everybody likes to gas him up but Van Dijk looks nowhere near what he was to me. Likely famous last words but I do think this season was their best/last chance for a while, but I wouldn't be shocked if they won the Champions League in the next 5 years either. I do wonder if TAA would be tempted by Real Madrid too, especially since he classes Bellingham as his best mate in football.

Merseyside reds will still win. Feel kind of dirty rooting for Everton but needs must.

Man United winning the FA Cup and the scousers winning the league would be a horrendous end to the season. Howay Manchester blues.

Aye Rondon was absolutely sound, I should have specified that. But I’m not giving him credit for Joselu Plenty of players are late bloomers or just not suited to a league and that’s fine. Like I said though, it’s a pass because we just know that Joselu (and probably Rondon to be fair) would have been number 3/4/5 on the list of targets.

He was class at buying defenders like. Forwards not so much He gets a pass for the sheer fact I know they'd have been 4 or 5 on the list of targets.

Interchanging will be key as I always get nervous about shoehorning a player to another position after being so successful in another position. But I agree that it was probably the plan after signing Barnes. Would still like us to sign a player comfortable playing on either side in the summer but is left-footed. Maybe they fancy Minteh for that role and to be gradually eased in.

Forever indebted to this bloke. Not only did he sort of initiate the takeover, but he was a shining light in a prolonged dark period for the club. I absolutely hate how in recent years his impact has been downplayed by many of our fans (certainly in my friendship group). Yes, it was fundamentally pragmatic - but it had to be. We comfortably stayed up with essentially the 16/17 squad and picked up some decent scalps along the way. Ran on a shoestring and made us hard to beat and really bought into the cloob/city. Even when we didn't win in our first 8 or 9 or whatever it was I never really thought we'd go down - in fact I'm convinced we'd have stayed up in 15/16 had he been brought in a game or two before he did after we were beaten by Chelsea 5-1 before a 3 week gap in fixtures. The second half of 18/19 after we signed Almiron was probably the most enjoyable period of the Ashley era for me personally, including 11/12. Love the bloke and always will.

Seen a post on Twitter last night and it is probably right. Either Cole Palmer or Gordon (probably the latter) will likely miss out on the Euro squad due to Southgate playing/taking Rashford For me the wide left position for England is wide open. It very much feels like the Gerrard/Lampard/Scholes dilemma all over again in trying to get the likes of Saka/Foden/Palmer/Bellingham in the side at the same time.