TheBrownBottle

Played well today. Not many threads I could write that in, unfortunately

Some of the performances this season have been dreadful and that was another one to add to the list Howe needs time - he’s a good manager, and he still has credit in the bank for me. But he needs to change the system up - teams have absolutely sussed the 4–3-3. The running joke re Howe’s 60-min subs is really about how predictable Howe is. And some of the players need a rocket up the jacksie - Gordon, Bruno, Isak are playing levels below what they’re capable of. All were linked with moves away in the summer, and on present form they’d be very lucky to be linked to clubs of a similar standard next summer. But while I think he needs time, I’d be seriously reluctant to let him spend money in January when we don’t have headroom to do so. He’s got a squad of players who are comfortably better than they look at the moment.

Yep, you're right - forgot it was 1-4. I was at the game but most of it is blacked-out. Mind, the 2-2 at the San Siro isn't, despite being drunk in Duomo square for two days running. 'Peter Andre' still sticks in my mind - I wonder if that bloke ever made more money than that day from us ...

Didn't we beat them 1-0? Griffin the goalscorer. We lost 2-0 to Inter when Shearer and Bellamy got themselves sent off

In terms of standing ovations / rounds of applause, I can distinctly remember Andy Townsend's howitzer vs us in 3-1 NUFC win in 94/95 drawing a round of applause. Same game that Venison scored a thunderbastard.

We used to have a canny record vs these away until fairly recently. I'm going to back us to grind this one out - a nervy 2-1 win is what I'm going for. Guehi to score for them from a free header.

You need footballing intelligence to play in that ‘10’ role. Almiron - who does have other qualities and is a hard bloke to dislike - is one of the least intelligent forwards I’ve seen in B&W. Football-wise anyway - he might have an IQ of 170 for all I know.

We could amend the taxes on football clubs and make them pay against the asset rather than profits. It’s rich old white cunts kryptonite - they’d be off as quick as a flash.

I can remember Rosenberg going unbeaten at home in the Champions League for fourteen matches - which included matches against Real (who they beat) Bayern and Juve, and during the run they beat AC Milan in the San Siro. European football today is utter cack, it really is.

Both positions can be true tbf. He can be right for selecting Longstaff because of the way we’ve set up and wrong for signing a player for a massive sum who doesn’t fit the way he’s setting us up.

I personally look forward to those in politics showing us their true mettle and not allowing foreign state ownership of UK assets. Starting with our water, electricity, and trains mind - our football clubs really should be bottom of that list.

They couldn’t do that mind - Al-Rumayyan’s running of the PIF still links him to the state. And MBS is still the head of the PIF.

I’d play him further forward, but that’s not the same as him not being a ‘6’. Agree that the solution is to either play Bruno further forward or to try Bruno and Tonali together in what the kids call a ‘double pivot’. The problem with the ‘double pivot’ is that we don’t have a ‘10’, so a 4-2-3-1 is out. And I don’t think Bruno and Tonali can be the midfield in a 4-4-2

Settling in periods are usually related to moving to a new country / area. He’s been here long enough to settle.

Bruno has basically played his entire career there. He played there for Lyon when we signed him.

100%, sadly

Sheikh Mansour is the state

That and Tonali never looks like an upgrade when he starts

It’s odd unless you’ve seen us play with Tonali at RCM If the lad is going to start we’d need to change the way we play. Any signs of Howe doing that so far? My suspicion at this point is either Howe or Tonali is not here next season.

That was always a load of bollocks, and there is no ‘separation’. Besides, there is nothing in the PL rules re state ownership. The idea that PIF isn’t part of the KSA state is laughable. The amendment also includes national investment funds.

No bother at all mate - outside the top five tiers of English football is effectively where the semi-pros and amateurs sit (though the fifth tier is a mix of professional and semi-pro). Because tier six down is semi-pro and amateur, and they're concerned about ownership and governance, I can't imagine it would be applied to every level of the pyramid. The Lords can't block but only delay bills - so the Commons can re-present the Bill either untouched or with any amendments suggested by the Lords which have been recommended. This is regular in Parliament - some of the lords are former Law Lords (judges - the HoL used to be the highest court in the country until the UK Supreme Court was created in 2009). And others are ex-judges and lawyers who have significant careers and expertise in law. So the often re-draft proposed Bills and send them back to the Commons with their suggested changes. Often these are the result of knowledge of legislation and practice. While I'd like to see the Lords abolished, this is a function which would be difficult to replace. The issue comes when you get suggested amendments like the ones in this Bill, which oversteps review and redraft and becomes an effective change of policy. At that point, these amendments are usually rejected (to get through the Commons, the Bill would likely need govt support). I can't see the govt supporting these amendments. This happens regularly, but usually doesn't get much visibility as it doesn't impact the back pages of the newspapers. Because it relates to football, it has gained more visibility.

Baron Parkinson is a Tory bastard, so not that shocking

If it happened we wouldn't be able to play at any level. TBF removing clubs from the football league isn't a new thing. It isn't going to happen, though. Not worth worrying about, as fun as hypotheticals can be.

There is a tiny chance it occurs, but I just don’t think it will. It would create a diplomatic issue over something which ultimately of very little importance.

It wouldn’t be a forced sale - they wouldn’t ’have’ to sell. But their asset wouldn’t be able to play in the PL. So in effect, it sort of is a forced sale.