Abacus

Yeah, see this is the thing. I'm not sure if we have the squad for it yet. And as the holders I wouldn't want us to go out with a whimper, so was a bit torn with saying that. In a couple of years hopefully we can compete on 4 fronts, but for now you'd hope our second 11 could get us past the early rounds at least.

Give Osula 60 minutes and see how he does. Some wholesale changes and using the full squad would be my preference, to get minutes into their legs. We should have enough for Bradford, but I have to admit to not being as fussed about the league cup this season now we've finally won it. I used to hate that attitude to cup games, but I don't think we're yet at the point to be competing on all fronts, so needs must.

Alexander Isak (idiotic spineless unfit scum-shoe with stupid boggly eyes) would be my preferred thread title.

I think it's the mark of a great manager to make the best of what you have, which Rafa did here. Howe is doing it as well - was just reading back to comments about Murphy. Yes, he's limited in some areas but excellent in others and it's down to a manager to minimise the weaknesses and make the best of the strengths as long as they are putting in the effort and have the right attitude. Which Murphy does and the likes of Howe and Rafa can get the best of. Think we have a really strong right side now, purely because Murphy isn't just an impact sub and offers real threat.

Yeah, there were a few times where we played short at corners despite having the height and physicality to cause them problems if we'd just whipped the ball in first time.

It's hindsight and everything but even if it wasn't fitness, whether you agree with it or not you can see the logic for not starting him. Gordon puts that chance away and it would have worked too, with Nick on for the last half hour along with Burn / Botman to either defend in our box at set pieces or attack in theirs. Either way, it was a narrow defeat caused by a probable concussion and then a great strike which deflated us. Narrow margins, I think.

Quite a few positives from this, one being Thiaw - I thought he was excellent at times. Another being Elanga having a great game. With Wissa in the team I'm convinced that would be a different result - he must be gutted with that injury.

The burger vans outside SJP already hard at work. Get stuffed with your tapas Barca fans, proper double cheeseburger, onions and sun-dried big bottles of red sauce for you, like a proper fan eats.

They will next propose using the tree beast from Flash Gordon, where members must plunge in their hand in the hope of retrieving a ticket.

An unbalanced and rather silly article, but so what, it's nothing we're not used to. One cost a lot more than the other for those very reasons. The truth is Woltemade is indeed a gamble, but an exciting one who has every chance of being something unique. He'll need time and patience I'm sure, but we could have a cracking player on our hands. All the rest is just noise and outside bias.

Maybe harsh, but their keeper's confidence must be done on every cross.

Spurs need to be testing this keeper at every opportunity, just flapped a cross as well. Fine their goal was lucky but I think Spurs have been mostly on top this half anyway.

Ref in the Spurs game giving himself a problem with all these yellow cards.

Villarreal miss a big chance. I think they look bobbins.

Back on topic Isak = Coward

Looking forward to the hate watch later on. Not a vindictive man in normal life, but there's rarely been an ex player I've wanted to fail so badly and take their club team down at the same time quite as much.

Ah, shame for him but not as bad as was feared, so I'm taking this as relatively good news and that he'll be fit and firing when he's back. If only Gordon had kept his head to help ease Woltemade in, but he's off to a cracking start anyway and I'm ready to watch him whup Barcelona now.

If he's fit for Barca, what a debut that could be.

Whatever is wrong, such a shame for him especially if it turns out to be a longer term one. Either way fiddlesticks and that's swearing.

I didn't clock that, thanks.

So these are up till 2022, when Boehly took over. So I'm assuming these are the self reported breaches in that case and you'd imagine would then be fairly easy to prove. You might expect lenience for self reporting by the PL, but that misses the key point that it was during this period which Chelsea may have had an advantage which still carries on now.

He got another one.

In an alternate universe; "When I first met Steve Bruce, he looked visibility shocked and clearly had no idea who I was"

A disturbance caused by "a political argument" between Serbian fans which then needed the riot police to calm it down according to the ITV touchline reporter. I bet it's about bin collections or potholes. Also, orange card there.

The paper reckoned it was a consortium of 10 different investors from Asia, Europe and North America. Which certainly narrows it down.