Holmesy

He’s pretty much world class now! There are so few players like him in the game. He’s tearing up the PL in his first season, playing for a shit manager and a mid table team. He could play right at the top now, no problem.

That’s shit luck for Longstaff. He looks absolutely gutted. On the plus side, this is probably the most I’ve enjoyed watching us all season.

I live in Leeds and i'm torn On the one hand it would be great for the area, good to have a team representing Yorkshire in the PL and they're a big club with. top manager. On the other hand i'm surrounded by their fans on a daily basis and they're arseholes!

It's very difficult to f*** up the design of a Roma shirt but here we are. That's comfortably the worst shirt Roma has ever had. They used to have some amazing kits - those Kappa ones with Mazda and Wind as their sponsors were hall of famers

I think Steve McLaren has had a hair transplant. That’s all.

Fernandes! Absolute rock!

Probably the best I’ve seen Rose play for us.

I hate this 'good things don't happen to us' line, sounds like permanent victim mentality mode....but the thing is, in this case it feels valid. Ever since it became clear that this wasn't going to pass without a hitch, it just seems impossible to imagine us as being the richest club in the world. Nah. Nee way, f*** that, it's not happening. The GOOD thing about how long this has taken is that it obviously means both parties are seeking a way to meet the terms and approve the Takeover. The longer it has gone on - the better. If it was going to be NO (which it never could be as the club is sold already) then it would have been a pretty QUICK result !! It’s been reported already that it’s a consultative process rather than a blanket yes or no. Clearly conversations are happening regarding the piracy and actions are being taken as a result. I can only see one outcome now and that’s a positive one. The PL will want this to happen because it has potential to increase their revenue significantly. The government won’t want anything to happen that will piss off one of their biggest trading partners, so I imagine they’re getting involved as well.

Credit where it’s due! We actually looked decent in the first half and then we properly capitalised on the sending off. Right lineup, right tactics. Nothing wrong at all today!

Get in there big lad! Hopefully that kickstarts him into a run of scoring!

How did we get St Maximin for just £16.5m?! He’s absolutely class! In fact, how did we get him at all? Why weren’t other clubs queuing up for him?

Has he got no left foot at all?! £40m quid for that!!!!

He’s a like the angry drunk in the corner of the pub that everyone winds up because you know you’ll get a bite. Some of his statements are straight out the mouth of Jay from The Inbetweeners.

Presumably, if the PL reject this takeover they can kiss any future investment/involvement in the PL from Saudi Arabia. From a commercial POV that wouldn't be a good move.

Based on what, other than agenda? Based on the fact that even before having 3 months off due to Covid, Monsieur Bruce’s record of knacking players was pretty shit. I can’t imagine he gave the players a science-backed fitness plan to follow during lockdown and I can’t imagine he’ll have employed much subtlety in trying to get them match fit again.

Think it’s a safe bet we’ll pick up the most injuries of any team in the first couple of weeks back.

I'd quite like to have seen Sergio Ramos play in the PL and get shown up as the poncy looking average clogger that i'm pretty sure he is.

Hulk. He looked like he was ready-made for the PL but he sold out and went to Russia, never to be heard of again.

Money talks, especially where the PL are concerned.

What a header! German football is class!

I actually prefer the idea of building by targeting younger talent like this that are established but still have huge potential, particularly because Rafa is the ideal manger to fully unlock these types, rather than just flooding the team with big money players that are chasing big paydays as that would feel a lot more forced and empty. RB Leipzig/Salzburg have the perfect model - great scouting network, great coaching throughout, brilliant infrastructure and progressive managers. It’s no wonder they’re prolific at churning out great talent. The difference with us is we wouldn’t have a selling our best talent element attached to our structure.

Lallana is also 32 and hasn’t played regularly for a couple of seasons. His best is behind him and if we’re looking to progress we should be signing better and younger. We've already got 2 young prospects in midfield and what they need is some guidance, and we certainly need some experience in there. It's about building a balanced squad rather than just a 1st team. If we could sell Shelvey and replace him for free with a player not going to spit the dummy if he doesn't play the majority of games then i think its a decent idea, especially if we're staying within FFP. If we’re going to bring in someone as a mentor to the Longstaffs I’d rather it was someone with a bit more pedigree and standing than Lallana. More like a Cambiaso-type when he signed for Leicester. If Werder Bremen go down, Nuri Sahin might be available on the cheap.

Dwight McNeil would be a nice start.

Lallana is also 32 and hasn’t played regularly for a couple of seasons. His best is behind him and if we’re looking to progress we should be signing better and younger.

What a peach! They play such good football.