TheBrownBottle

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

Barnes and Botman are both examples of failures by the medical staff tbh

No, I’m with you - I’m not suggesting that Howe’s achievements are unimpressive. I’m suggesting that Howe isn’t necessarily going to ‘peak’ in his 50s somehow. There’s a good chance he’s at his managerial peak - but he hasn’t had the platform to win trophies yet. His only full season with us so far saw him one game away from a trophy. He might still win one this season yet.

The debate surely wouldn’t be whether or not injuries and fatigue have contributed - they obviously have. It would be odd if anyone thought having an entire XI missing wouldn’t have an impact on results. It’s whether or not there is a level of accountability re manager, coaching staff, medical staff etc for the injuries (including recurring ones) and fatigue. My view is that there is - some of it is plain old bad luck, some of it is on the coaching / medical staff. Pope, Murphy, Burn etc - just sheer bad luck. But some have rushed back, some have been misdiagnosed, some have not been rotated when they obviously could have been. That’s not all on Howe, but he’s not immune from criticism on some of it.

No, definitely not. If people think that a few dafties venting at SJP are ‘turning’ on the manager, then they haven’t seen it when it does.

I still think that as a performance Villa away was the best this season (I don’t doubt that PSG at home will be the most memorable - assuming we don’t have an enjoyable afternoon at Wembley in May). Proper Howe masterclass, absolutely out-thought Emery (who is a quality manager, of course). That’s the sort of performance that confirms to me that Howe deserves time. I don’t think the injuries issue leaves Howe immune from criticism - John Gibson raised the point on the Ronnie Gill podcast that Bielsa had a similar run at Leeds before getting hit with injuries - playing a high intensity, high press game. I still don’t think it’s sustainable over a potentially 50-game season (allowing for a cup run and Europe), but this was Howe’s first European campaign and it’s not exactly easy to stop mid-season. Next season will be when we’ll learn if lessons have been taken from this one. This could still be the best season in most of our lifetimes - by this time next year Howe’s statue might be going up outside SJP (if he wins the FA Cup)