TheBrownBottle

Just went back to check just in case I was misremembering, the PL official website lists the games I’ve looked at towards the end of 2018/19 as being a 5-4-1 formation. Looked at the games vs Fulham, Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester. Game vs Everton in Feb was a 3-4-3 like you said. I honestly don’t remember Benitez not playing 5-4-1 towards the end, though - I wouldn’t describe it as a 5-2-3.

Benitez played a 5-4-1

Because playing wingbacks and wingers defeats the entire point of playing wingbacks? You usually play wingbacks to allow for a three man midfield

Except the Italian clubs are tied to the same UEFA rules as English clubs, so they couldn’t bend over backwards to do that. It doesn’t matter, as it’ll be about as true as the Inter links which went on for a year or so.

Don’t worry I think he’s a wanker too

I know the rule says no, I’m saying it’s another rule which needs reformed

You’re not a fan, then?

They’re scouse and therefore the victims of a conspiracy. Their club shouldn’t have been held to account for obviously breaching rules that Leeds, Leicester and Southampton didn’t

No, because abstentions don’t equal no votes. 14 votes gives the two-thirds majority of clubs - two clubs not voting doesn’t mean that those two clubs don’t exist Another PL rule that should be reformed

Hate to say it, but I think you’re right. When fit, he’s the second best proper no.9 I’ve seen in B&W tbh. But he’s just a nightmare for injuries.

Wilson would be philosophical tbf - the bloke spends half his life injured

Tbf I did say earlier that I wasn’t looking to knock his achievements at Bournemouth - his track record there was incredible. Not suggesting that Howe isn’t a top manager - but it is the case that most of the top managers in the game had actually embedded themselves in history at that age - a decent number (Michels, Sacchi, Clough, Mourinho, Benitez etc) pretty much had their best years behind them at that point.

Different meaning, though you could definitely rhyme them in a poem.

ladge - adjective unfair; not treating people in an equal way, or not morally right it was propa ladge when Dekka twokked me cowies

I’m surprised that there are no QF / SF in Canada or Mexico. Canada in particular (Mexico has at least hosted a couple of times before)

fog - ordinal number, determiner a person or thing coming before all others in order, time, amount, quality, or importance: fog draa on that snout, divvunt be shan, that’s pua ladge bagsies fog blast on that scoota

They were both the same. A goalie can play outfield normally. One rule we did sometimes play is that any ‘fog man back’ or ‘rush goalie’ wasn’t allowed to cross halfway in normal play. So effectively a few players could be ‘it’ if they’re back first, but those players had to stay in their own half

Fog man back in Throckley / Newburn / Lemington edit: I think I remember the ‘posh’ lads from Chapel House / Chapel Park / Abbey Grange etc called it ‘rush goalie’

£12m p/a is what I’ve read as Villa’s kit deal. Their Castore deal was £4m p/a

Oh, I’m under no illusions that I’d be in a minority of one. But the implication that I’d get my head kicked in for holding that view? Nah. I’d have a hard job these days nipping in there tbf. But I don’t doubt that the Garter and the Percy remain as robust as ever. And I wouldn’t touch the Butchers Arms with yours

He breaks kayfabe for nee fukka; he should be careful though, witchcraft is punishable by death in KSA …

I think you hope we’re not paying £30m as a flat fee Could be complete bollocks, but someone I know reckons he’d heard that there’s a break clause in the contract i.e. we can pay a fee not to sign him. The lad who told me does know someone relatively high up in the club, but I’m dubious as to whether or not that person would know about break clauses in contracts!

Don’t understand why so many seem so desperate for us to get him. Not sure how loud the alarm bells need to be.

Without FFP I wouldn’t give a solitary shite