Viana

Edward, double sub please.

Burn not offside and a penalty appeal waved away

It's also worth noting that Pep has had six or seven years to essentially build the best club side going. His system has been built and tweaked to the point of perfection. I don't think it's quality of individuals killing us here, it's just brilliant spacing and momentum with 11 players (9 of who were in this team last year) knowing exactly where and how to play the ball. Their strategy is to create little fires across the final third.

Another game where I'm quite proud of how we've equipped ourselves. You move that quality dial up a bit and we cause this lot problems.

Shades of Man Utd in the 90s here, they are brilliant, relentless, but they also get any decision they ask for.

I'm hopeful Adidas lean in more to the simple designs they've done of late. I do also wonder if the owners are tempted to try and strike a deal with Heineken for Brown Ale to be on the training kit. It feels like a license to print money.

Looks like the club have had to just go with it and confirm the deal. Proper buzzing for the new kits. It's one thing to be with Adidas anyway, but it's another thing to be with Adidas and be a valued partner (big club/seller basically) as it means they'll put some time and effort in.

iFollow if you're abroad.

Impressive from Bournemouth to gain a man and become more shit.

I don't like to attach the people running a club with the institution itself, because in cases like this you can easily tar fans with the same brush. That said, them leaking a story about consulting the female players was fucking vile. A total dog whistle to every little incel in their bedroom that cares more about Fifa points than anything in the real world. I also hate the way it's being framed that he wasn't convicted so what's the issue. The whole situation is a giant fucking mess and highlights both how little people understand of the criminal justice system, and how the people at the top of football fail to install any kind of checks or balances to stop people like Greenwood becoming so entitled and detached from reality that they do things like this.

Always find it odd people don't get the point of competition.

No longer friends with degenerate gambler, now best friends with drunk driver.

Had blue panda pop all owa his Sunderland shirt.

I'm also grading the window against the fact that we've had summers in the last decade that included - just one player, and Jeff Hendrick/Ryan Fraser double.

See, but Barton played against them. I find it a bit odd a player that never actually played in a Tyne-Wear derby has an issue with us. Tbf, I don't rule out he's just said it for a laugh knowing Bristol City or Preston fans wouldn't care as much.

At the risk of sounding like a cult member, I think we've done it by being patient and persistent. The briefings from the club this summer have centre around being creative within FFP limitations while also being patient. We could have gone and paid £30m for Kieran Tierney in the first week of the summer and have a brand new left back. Instead, Dan Ashworth and the higher ups built out a strategy that prioritized certain positions and then tried to tick off the other requirements thereafter. Sandro Tonali was clearly the top of that tree. After that, it would appear that we've waited for the dust to settle before moving. James Maddison going to Spurs gave Leicester a fat cash injection and likely lowered the fee they'd accept for Harvey Barnes - a player they knew wanted out. If we'd steamed in first they may be seeking that 40-50m they were demanding of Maddison the year before. On the other hand, we went in early for Tino Livramento, and clearly didn't want to exceed that £30/35m mark we set ourselves. It would have been easy to throw an extra £10-15m on top in bonuses just to get the deal done at their requested £50m. That is especially true when you consider Southampton looked like they had deals for Romeo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse sewn up early. Had they gone through they weren't going to need the money, and Livramento wasn't going to force an exit either. Then you come to Lewis Hall. Again, perhaps if FFP wasn't a thing we would have upped our bid until they said yes a bit like what Chelsea did with Caicedo. Instead, we stayed patient and through a slice of good luck we arrived at a point where Chelsea needed the money and the player was eager to leave. We've undoubtedly had our fair share of good luck this summer, I wouldn't want to dismiss that, but the ability to take advantage of that luck is because we came into the summer with such a clear plan of action.

He looks to have a wicked cross on him too. I'm sure Wilson and Isak are looking forward to that.

Malo Gusto should slot in for them while he recovers. I think Chelsea have likely realized they need to slow down a tiny bit.

Feels a tad harsh that. We've added a game-changing midfielder, a goal-scoring winger, and are close to having future-proofed our fullbacks with young English defenders, both of whom are quite versatile. I have to see that as a nine. Case to be made we need to upgrade centre back, but I don't hate the idea of adding Burn to that pool of players while we let the money lazer recharge.

Is that Luke Edwards spouting shite again and then patronizing anyone that highlights it? I also think we need a giant Luke Edwards smoke screen gif.

Apparently Babayaro used to tell anyone that would listen about their days together as a U16 with Nigeria, even though he was 6 year older.

This is what gives me hope while we try to bridge the gap between ourselves and the elite. Ashworth and the rest of the recruitment team clearly have a planned strategy.

As if we're getting Chelsea academy players pushing to join us. Cackling like an idiot at how much the club has turned around.

But if every one of them chips in a fiver we can buy five Lewis Halls.

Do admire the fact having painted over the shirt they then added FTM