Tiresias

Aren't they losing Vertonghen almost certainly as well? Erickson is into the final year of his contract too isn't he? He will get them a load of money in but also difficult to replace. Face a hefty rebuilding job and no money to do it with imo. They have kept a team together pretty effectively for a while though, was always going to happen

now finding another forward who loves the chip will be more difficult. I still love that goal against leicester last season

Not sure that impossible, agree we'll mess it up but there are more hard working forwards in the world than just Perez. Maybe he's just angling for a new deal anyway.

So has he agreed to fund improving facilities? Or is it just more empty promises? I believe Rafa is desperate to stay but he can't be foolish enough to trust anything Ashley says.

I like him but not like he's irreplaceable either, hope to get a decent value on him and wouldn't be surprised if in a more attacking setup he does very well. He's given us a fair few years and put up with dreadful abuse from our fans, albeit do understand why he has been very frustrating at times. If he does go I wish him the best of luck, and of course we will fail to sign a replacement but that's not his fault.

Is there a worse goal keeper at a very good club than Lloris?

Could it not be conditional on medical staff inspection based on visible head injury / iris dilation stuff / actually being knocked out though? All those would be difficult to fake.

Who gives a fuck about the semantics he groomed and knowingly slept with someone underage. It is an utterly repellent thing to do.

Not sure someone at the EFL knows what Condone means

Did Allardyce just complain about other managers not playing entertaining football? LISTEN A PROPER BRITISH 0-0 DRAW IS MUCH BETTER THAN PONCY FORREN 4-3 MATCHES WITH ALL THIS FANCY SKILL CERNT WAIT TILL BREXIT #NODEAL

Upfront with nothing forwards even when he wins the ball back he is isolated and quickly dispossessed normally. Up front with a beast like Rondon and what a shock his game is transformed. He's never going to be a messi or even a ben arfa who can beat players just by himself but is a wonderful partner up front with Rondon.

Yeah I think some are harsh on him, really not sure he's deliberately not passing to Almiron, just think he's not super bright and so isn't thinking about the pass when he should be. I think he's been fantastic for us over the last few seasons especially the championship but he is ultimately too slow to be a class premier league winger.

(It's also fairly likely Benitez will revert to 4 at the back with Lejeune and Lascelles as only CBs

Nothing wrong with Fernandez coming in for him but I would be slightly tempted to pull Hayden back into the CB role and give Ki and Shelvey a go in midfield, as Hayden seems in such good form whereas Fernandez hasn't had much game time.

At this point i would be surprised if there was any change in the bottom 3

Wonder what all the people who hate perez are today (i acknowledge he can be dreadful, I just think if we play badly and no rondon he is left alone upfront and is always going to lose physical battles with centre backs so looks bad)

Talk about them being banned from the champions league, suspect they'll get everything short of that cos can't have one of their big brands missing out

Ashley would sell his mother if the right bid came along, the problem is and always has been he values the club way higher than any prospective buyers. Saying it's no longer for sale is just for some publicity. If someone came along and offered ashley the £300m (or more) he apparently values the club at he'd still probably take if albeit would haggle the price up till the interest goes regardless. We are perpetually for sale but not really, or not for sale but really are wink wink.

That era man u were very good to watch to be honest, never seemed to have to labour to score goals and seemed insulated from all tactical trends. I do wonder though if at that point half the teams in the league just rolled over for them cos the manager wanted a nice chat with fergie over some wine after

It was around the same era, but I loved this goal from Man United against Arsenal in the Champions League semi finals a few years ago. He started off the move brilliantly with a backheel too but it still irritates me Ronaldo running off to make it all about him, not you know thanking Rooney for the perfect assist that gave him an open goal (edit: on rewatching still had to beat teh keeper I suppose)

The most impressive counter attacking team i've ever seen was Mourinho's Real Madrid (at their best) Now obviously not entertaining so shouldn't be here but they were ridiculous making corners won against them into almost more dangerous for the opposition than for themselves

0-2 to us and Longstaff to decapitate Rice, drink his blood and shout NOW I AM THE FUTURE