Tiresias

Rafa posing with the rock he's going to tie to Ashley before shoving him in the river

Good luck to him, I had hoped he had it in him to fight and win a starting place, but if he doesn't think he has best he be off.

Good luck to him, thought he had a lot of potential

Ki King Ings is like some kind of weird word game thing

Thing is though, the being fucked over by ashley factor means all he has done with us is enhance his reputation. Rafa can't commit to a new contract leaves at teh end of this one? He is forced out? He'll walk into a job with more money to spend, he's proven he's great even in adverse conditions (possibly especially in adverse conditions). Rafa worked this out when he joined I reckon. He hates nothing more than not having a job managing a team and his time here is a win win for him, he gets backed he stays and builds a team in his image and can push on, he leaves he goes somewhere with more money. Ashley trying to blackmail him is ridiculous. He has absolutely nothing to threaten rafa with really apart from Rafa's decency to try and see it through.

Think they'll be fine but if they do very well wonder if there'll be some blowback from them basically being run by an agent.

(However I am actually quite pleased for Russia to get through at their own world cup)

Spain don't play anti football, it's not their fault in 2010 the dutch tried to kick them out the game and again here. I would agree they are not the most exciting to watch but to describe them as negative is plain ridiculous. If you can't take joy watching Iniesta play I dunno what you think is positive football

absolutely no chance rafa is going to be blackmailed into signing that contract.

I can't believe no-one appreciated my Yanny/Laurel joke

Hmmm doesn't feel the most brutal, he'll leave very well liked, he is in decline and getting slower, had a reasonable length here. He may not want to be on the bench, rather go to championship where he knows he will boss.

I thought he was excellent when he was here. Does count against him he left, and I think Ritchie's set pieces have been tremendous for us, will be missed very badly indeed if not properly replaced but he is slow and didn't have the best first half of last season. I would be disappoited to lose him, his attitude has been one of the pillars of Rafa's work rebuilding the squad. I wouldn't be displeased with Townsend though, even if he is an idiot for jumping ship.

The money may well be there to be spent but Justin Barnes will veto anything over about £8m for being a bit too expensive.

It's spelt 'Laurel'

I think his weaker ones sometimes have a lot of text, as he's struggling for some great visual joke or something. I can't criticise, his hit rate is pretty great.

Naingollan is 30, still smokes doesn't he and not greatest attitude, Roma may think his fitness is going to fall off a cliff so happy to see him go

Slightly gutted, really hoped he'd stay and have a stronger second season. If we had a choice in it I'd have expected us to keep him no matter if he wanted away a bit. Partly I fear the general mood that we aren't going to build or be any more ambitious, and Rafa isn't likely to stay long term might have influenced him, but on the other hand if he doesn't have it in him to stay and fight might be for the best. I don't think it reflects too well on his mentality tbh.

Know it's silly to be down, but thought we were poor at the back throughout. Gave ball away easy, Maguire poor I thought. First good team will beat us.

Still can't get over Greggs Benedict

Get well soon

Exclusive behind the scenes footage of our transfer department

they imported rugby league VAR system so rugby tackles are allowed

whats the point of VAR if that is missed? Seriously?