sushimonster85

Don't think anyone is saying it should just be a slap on the wrist. But the current punishment, which is multiple times worse than if you racially abuse another player, is clearly wrong. Think the logical thing would be banned until you complete your rehab program. Then second and third offences is when it starts to get to 8 months/1 year territory.

Playing in the new kit early only happens when there's no change a kit manufacturer. No chance Castore will let us play in an Adidas kit while they still have time left on their deal. Doubt Adidas will even be able to officially unveil the kit while the Castore deal is active.

Aye, in an ideal world where Tonali isn't banned, and Joelinton and Willock both remain largely fit I'm not sure how many minutes he would've gotten. Likely just cup games and appearances from the bench where we need energy to see a game out.

All this has gotten me thinking of a (semi) interesting tangent. Which (PL era) manager under-performed the most in relation to what they had in terms of squad and funds? Guess the easy/obvious answer in Gullit. Though I think McClaren gives him a pretty good run. I actually think in terms of PL finishes Bruce had us almost exactly where we deserved to be, not that he had much to do with it at all.

There's always been a kneejerk, whiny section of the fanbase that want the manager sacked as soon at the first sign of trouble. Was going to say it feels like they've gotten worse, but I remember Bobby was getting a much worse time from them towards the end of his reign than Howe is currently getting.

Hoping enough of this sort of stuff ultimately dissuades the FA from adding to Sandro's ban. Hopefully either a suspended ban, or they give him one but state that it has been backdated so it's run concurrently with the existing ban.

Howe will be here next season, which I am happy with. Granted we have been poor for large parts of the season, but there's been more than enough mitigating circumstances to offset that. He has earned another crack at it next season. Now, if we're in a similar spot midway through next season without the injuries & suspensions, and after another Summer of big spending, that's when he may be in trouble. But I honestly don't see it. Really think he will have learned plenty from this campaign, and with additions to the squad can see us back challenging for that 6th/5th spot next season.

Pretty sure no long term decision has been taken either way. Or if it has they haven't communicated it yet.

I think the whole 'would you want to move or remain' question is actually not the important one. Of course the majority are going to want to remain at SJP. The actual question is 'how opposed to the idea of moving are you on a scale of 1-10?' Because I'd rather remain at SJP, but when put into the context of moving means more seats, easier to get tickets, quicker catch up the super clubs of the world, then I'd actually only come in at a 3 or 4 on that scale.

People moaning about the need to becareful with Miley's minutes need to see the bigger picture. The damage isn't done immediately, it gets felt later on in their career when they start to drop off at a younger age than the players who weren't playing week in, week out till their early 20's, rather than at 17/18.

I don't know, I have been trying to figure out just why this is more favourable to the vast majority of PL clubs to what's in place already, and think the promise of financial punishment rather than points could be a large part of it.

That Falk bloke is definitely not a semi-reliable source.

And really Villa have no excuse not to win the Conference League. To be honest Brighton & West Ham will be among the favourites for Europa.

Didn't get a definitive answer to this the other day, but I believe Liverpool win the League Cup would drop the lowest European spot in the league (conference league) to 8th. That's assuming the PL gets the extra CL spot, which is looking likely. Not over by a long shot.

Apologies if this has come up already, but with Liverpool winning the League Cup (and definitely getting CL through the league), does that mean so long as the PL ends up getting the extra CL spot that the Conference League spot will go to 8th rather than 7th like it has done these past couple years?

Are you trying to prove that other side do have two "A standard" strikers? Because of those listed I'd say it's only the City lads who you'd say each players best position is as a central striker. The rest are doing what we do using a wide player to supplement in terms of depth. Also (again excluding the City lads) Gordon has out scored everyone listed there except Nunez (who he is only 1 goal behind).

Fuck me, Man U are fucked if that's his attitude. "Alright Rich, we fancy Hojland. Now, because we think he's really good at his job we find it a bit silly we should have to either wait till the end of his contract, or pay you any kind of fee for him." (Also speaks volumes I went through all of their starting 11 and only found one player id actually fancy us going for)

Goes back to what I believe Klopp said a few years ago. Don't remember the exact quote but it was along the lines of an aggressive/high press is the best number 10 you can have.

Managers having complete control of transfers was more the norm when it was considered hasty if you sacked a manager after a couple of years. When the likes of Clough and Ferguson had total control over everything that happened at the club. I totally get Sporting Directors/DoFs etc now. There does need to be someone with an overarching strategy. A club should be deciding on it's principles/recruitement strategy/even general style of play and building appropriately. This should include being able to change managers with minimal desruption. We're a little different in that Howe and his core team were in place long before the sporting director and, as countless articles have pointed out, established a power base far beyond what most other head coaches have at other sides. Not dissing Howe at all, feel there have been countless positives (just look at his first 18 months) to this. But it has now put us in this odd position where we will be looking for a Sporting Director who suits what is here now, which has largely been put in place by the head coach who, in theory, a SD could decide to sack. I love Howe, and I think he deserves a crack at going again next season. But I do worry for him with a new sporting director coming in, especially with the likes of Tuchel available in the Summer.

Think this will actually go quiet for a little while now. Early reports suggest Man U don't want to pay a daft sum and are happy to be patient. Even if they pay 20m I'm sure one of the pieces I have ready tonight said we wouldn't sanction him starting till after the Summer anyway. Think they will make an attempt in September to see if we have softened out stance.

I don't think it takes a tactical genius to see that without Joelinton we have a massive weakness down that left hand side. Dan Burn hasn't suddenly gotten slower, he has always been this player, he has always had Joelinton, sometimes even Joelinton and Willock, in front of him. We miss Joelinton massively. We will look better on that side when Willock is back. He isn't quite as much of a unit, but he is probably an even better athlete that Joelinton. He doesn't have the talismanic qualities of Joelinton. But I think the other thing him being out has highlighted is that few in the side do. The crowd purr at sexy Bruno shit, they roar/come alive for Joelinton harassing or clattering someone. He will never be Bruno, Isak, Trippier or even Schar technically, but in a time when almost every is being quantified somehow, Joelinton is that player who just is the heartbeat of the team. I have had a few, so I'm probably being over sentimental, but to cut a long story short, give the big bastard whatever contract he wants.

Just read some of the quotes from Howe's presser. Obviously will be easier to tell once the video is released, but reading it it seems about as blunt as Howe gets on this sort of stuff. Seems a little ticked with Ashworth.

Apologies. It can be hard to know who's joking and who genuinely seems to think Eddie is a member of the BNP because he happened to sign Dan Burn.

Ah yes, from that small English town on the coast known as Denmark.

It's highly unlikely the FA will add anymore time to his ban. They may charge him with something but rule that the current FIFA ban he has already served is sufficient. Think if this were even 2-3 years ago then maybe they'd add something on. Think public sentiment towards gambling addiction has softened massively, they'd look like proper bastards if they gave him a further 6 months.