Wolfcastle

Euro96, 2012 Olympics, 2015 Rugby World Cup, 2022 Rugby League World Cup, potential Euro2028 One more for the 'Landfill' and "their eye-sore".... its almost as if things aren't actually how they see them

if just two of Blackburn, Millwall and Preston win two of their remaining 5games (6 in Blackburn's case) they'd require 10points, 3wins plus from 5 games and by far their best form of the season. Millwall and Preston are playing each other iirc so good chance one of them will be halfway to that. Any other walk of life than football and you just cant see it.

Entirely boils down to whether they stay up or not. If they go down it was a pathetically stupid suicidal appointment, what good is 'steady' when you've got relegation written all over if they stay up it did the job its not like Rafa who was a good appointment period. Its a rotten appointment beyond the interim, sort of thing Ashley would fetch up.

A short sharp shock doesn't always work but someone who took a team down with a whimper (1win in 16) less than a year ago with a far lower reputation than they guy you've just sacked has got to be demoralising all round. The interim situation is better suited to wild cards or over-matched manager to the club, reigns them into a concenrated period not for mediocrities.

Its always been harsh on any team that just misses out on automatic promotion but its just tough shit really though I personally hate the play-offs if it was two automatics the season would have been over months ago.

Millwall Preston play each other next, likely not make up ground on at least one of them, then there's three left no idea their fixtures however.

Go on Harrogate btw

Preston gonna sneak a play-off spot. Only team below Luton in any form.

You pies

Preferred the Samson the Cat mascot to this Gollum one.

The only two Ashley seasons that weren't boring prior to Rafa's arrival we were a complete shambles and got relegated with far more at our disposal. Half a season of Keegan and Roeder aside, you're going back to Sir Bobby for the last time it wasn't boring or entertaining in a completely shambolic and disasterous way. Boring was a virtue by comparison. It was more 'boring' than McLaren's football in the same way that not falling out of a window despite being ushered towards it is more boring than falling out of a window despite being ushered away from it.

I used to think it'd make a change to have someone other than Man City - but when its gone down to the last day between Liverpool and Man City, my feelings have been all in on Man City, so now I know better

Man United had a 12point lead in March (later than us) in 97/98 and lost the title to Arsenal with games to spare. 91/92 they were top on February 22nd and won 2 of their next 13 league games. Leeds stole in winning only 6 of their next 14. They were so severe that Sheffield Wednesday were a point off top until a last minute goal for Palace in their penultimate game.

I like them winning because the alternative has been Man United, Liverpool and Chelsea

Yeah, think its just Liverpool have less of the ball and have to do more defending these days so its more pronounced

Liverpool deploying official intimidating gamesmanship tactics....also well i never.

Arsenal deploying dark arts and game stiffling tactics......well I never

Everything is worth an appeal now, decent chance VAR could find something to give a penalty/free-kick for in a crowded area even they have nothing in mind for the appeal. Hate the cunt.

Its like this idea we've 'lost our soul' - what from the Ashley era!?!? - Would have a case if they'd taken over from Hall/Shepherd but it wasn't possible to be more souless than what we were under Ashley. Villa are one of the clubs whose attendances from the same era, more often and since. 22,000 when top of the league in 1990 always stands out but many 15-19s too, in the top-flight, not the lower reaches of the 2nd division. Its because they're not heralded enough contemporarily to warrant it. Flattering really. Its all there for every club outside Arsenal/Man U/Liverpool and you don't have to go that far back for any of the others.

Was surely just a time killing sub, no indictment of his performance credit Lascelles and Ritchie mind for being professionals about their useage

Reminiscent of Derby away under Sir Bobby 2-0 down 2-3 up with a second-half blitz after an iffy display. Same time of the year too. Hoping for the same outcome in the season overall.

I don't know if we can absorb this. The work they'll do in training now only to have ASM miss most of the season. As opposed to someone available. Not sure he's worth selling now either (price wise) because of it. Conudrum.

Suddenly seems very clear Forest, Leicester, Southampton

Was wondering why its rattled them so much, but forget that being anti-NUFC is a fundamental and the essence of their support to a lot of them.

Wrexham v Notts County on Monday. Tasty.