SteV

Well, yes, in that sense I can see how it’s culpable. Although Clattenburg did an interview with Craig Hope in the Mail insisting it was the correct decision according to the rules.

That one had nothing to do with VAR though, did it? Other than the fact they should actually have used it.

Exactly this, in a nutshell.

But we’ve gone down twice, and still, here we are. So I fail to see how that is “much better”?

He didn't even change the seats. They did. Aye but for a a free hamburger. Was a hotdog sausage that was in the bun though.

I agree, but that goes for most stadium designs I suppose. The shape refers to the bath tub shape the original stadium takes its name from. https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beautifulsouth/rotterdam.html

Rome?

I would have thought so. Despite the general mood of apathy that's prevailed across match-going fans and the wider fan-base, folk are still going to watch us when we're on TV. I know folk in here are fond of saying "not even gonna bothering watching", but our viewer numbers will still be around what they usually are.

Perfect game to broadcast, it's a quota filler. They must broadcast all teams a minimum amount of times so this is two birds with one stone. Outside of the 'Big Six' we generate the highest viewer numbers (despite the quality on show), along with West Ham maybe, so there's never any need for us to be 'quota filled'. Hence the fact we'll be shown considerably more times that we are 'required' to be.

Yeah, that's been done before at other clubs. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't, possibly depending on whether the particular police force can be bothered. If memory serves, someone got it for Man Utd, but when someone else was trying to get it for Arsenal, they were turned down.

Even though he has every other season?

Perez - ASM Rondon - Joelinton Diame - Shortstaff Joselu - Gayle Am I forgetting someone? + A new pair of fullbacks I wouldn't say buying 2 young players who have never scored more than 7/8 league goals in the German and French leagues is replacing our 2 top scorers from last season. (ASM also seems to play a different position to Perez). Likewise Diame, who featured a lot in the last 2 seasons, isn't replaced by an academy graduate who has never played a minute of competitive first team football. Gayle is clearly out of favour, hasn't featured at all in preseason, and has been rumoured to be leaving all summer. Kenedy hasn't been replaced either. We've signed 2 fullbacks who arguably are no better than the ones we currently have. It is replacing them though isn't it? The question is whether they've replaced them with sufficient quality, and that's obviously to be determined. It might prove to be absolutely disastrous, or it might not. And Gayle's been injured all preseason (so we're told at least). Ok I'll rephrase - we haven't adequately replaced the players we've lost. We're taking a massive risk on replacing proven performers with inexperienced youngsters and putting massive pressure on them to perform straight away. Yes, that's probably a fairer assessment. I don't think anyone could say for certain either way that Joelinton will be better/worse that Rondon, and likewise ASM and Perez. Clearly it's a very risky policy though.

Perez - ASM Rondon - Joelinton Diame - Shortstaff Joselu - Gayle Am I forgetting someone? + A new pair of fullbacks I wouldn't say buying 2 young players who have never scored more than 7/8 league goals in the German and French leagues is replacing our 2 top scorers from last season. (ASM also seems to play a different position to Perez). Likewise Diame, who featured a lot in the last 2 seasons, isn't replaced by an academy graduate who has never played a minute of competitive first team football. Gayle is clearly out of favour, hasn't featured at all in preseason, and has been rumoured to be leaving all summer. Kenedy hasn't been replaced either. We've signed 2 fullbacks who arguably are no better than the ones we currently have. It is replacing them though isn't it? The question is whether they've replaced them with sufficient quality, and that's obviously to be determined. It might prove to be absolutely disastrous, or it might not. And Gayle's been injured all preseason (so we're told at least).

wait though, isn't bruce only discernible attribute as a football manager his man management skills? Decided to play Robbie Brady ahead of Hatem Ben Arfa when he had him at fucking Hull To be fair, Ben Arfa didn't want to be there and literally wasn't trying. Might be a bit of a argument about the type of tactics being used completely de-motivating him, but still he was putting no effort in whatsoever.

If this is fake someone somewhere has waaaay too much time on their hands.

Rafa and the Sheikh sitting next to each other outlining their plans for the next 5 years?

How on earth can they know that though. "Noises"....

Love how he constantly refers to him as 'Eden', like he's his best mate.

It's not really the same though is it? Shearer was more or less completely blanked once the season had finished. Rafa is, it seems, actively in discussion with them.

Surprised he didn't just go with - 3) FTM

5) Can't count to three

Could we? Without wanting to sound a bit 'Ashley', Longstaff will be on buttons in PL wage terms, any 30m replacement would demand at least 50Kp/w, probably more, so you have to take that into account. Here's at list of some of the midfielders that joined PL clubs last season for between (roughly) 15 - 25m: Torreira Traore Shaqiri Lerma Maddison Jota Seri I wouldn't swap him for many of them.

Liverpool supporting "friend" of mine on Facebook was complaining that we played a lot better against them than we did against Man City. When I pointed out that we actually beat City the reply was "yeah, by parking the bus, not like you even tried to win". Logic. Should have started Joselu like we did in the away game against them...

I don't think you can underestimate the fact they have a massive game tomorrow night. Away to Barcelona in a CL semi-final, where you're likely to be out of possession for large parts, 3 days before, is definitely going to have an effect on them. They'll most likely still have enough to beat us, but it's certainly beneficial to us to have them playing that game first.

Sounds as if Perez might be OK.