All Activity

But then there shots wouldn't have gone where they did. They don't come in at random.

Christ. If that happens I might divorce myself from football altogether.

6 goals and 3 assists in 32 appearances last time in the championship, playing a style of football that didn't suit him. Also only 22 years old.

In addition to sitting back and inviting pressure late we're also back to the old habit of having no-one on the edge of the box, both from corners and in general. Downes and Romeu were both dropping into the backline and leaving Zone 14 empty. For their goal Gray cut inside and Downes wasn't there to close him down. Had he chosen not to shoot he had two unmarked players he could've passed to. It could be intentional (three at the back isn't thought to be enough defenders when the opponents are chasing the game so Manning has to play narrower and make it a compact back four - which would explain why he isn't being dropped for failing to close down crosses - and Downes has to drop back as an extra defender). But it's not working. We'd be better off either trusting the three CBs to be good enough and taking pressure off them by closing down crosses and midfield, or changing formation to four or five at the back with at least one proper fullback instead of Fellows and/or Manning. Fellows off (or Scienza off and Fellows pushed up the pitch as an outlet) for Romeu, Manning to LB, a CB to RB, 4-3-3.

It’s not getting any better for poor old Nigel. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15361975/amp/Nigel-Farage-reported-police-claim-election-fraud-Clacton.html

Can't have Socialist policies like universal healthcare or state pensions. Pure evil, bordering on Communism.

Best series for years. Good to see the camp mates get on so well through the whole three weeks and they all clearly had a blast. Although he didn’t win, Tom will soon be a star. You do wonder how long they can keep repeating the same old formula, but this year showed that there is still life in the old kangaroo’s penis yet.

Should he ?? As I saw it on their video the ref let the play flow, the fouled player passed or released the ball to a teammate - at this point he’d played the advantage - but the player receiving the ball was then tackled. Should he stop the game at this point, and call it back for their free kick, or is it a second or separate phase of the game ? Perhaps the Brum fans think he should have played on, but then brought it back for their free kick if they didn’t eventually score from it.

Punta Maroma, just north of Playa del Carmen

As long as it's not a BoRiNg tie #inbeforebatman

Anyone except Portsmouth Community Football Club

Think it was when Manning fell over, claimed a foul and Brum almost scored with a deflected shot that Bazunu, having already dived, just managed to stop with his leg

You are probably right but there is a small bit of doubt. If Newcastle don’t sign him there is only a small pool of clubs who are likely to be interested at the prem level (or equivalent) and even fewer who would be willing to meet his wage demands/pay the level of fee we would expect. I don’t expect to see Ramsdale back but we can’t wholly rule it out.

Agree with you totally we just allow the opponents to take the initiative and come on to us. The MF seem to retreat and we have taken off the main attacking outlets (although we did still create a couple of breakaway chances to put the game to bed). Credit to the defence though there was no shortage of blocks going in and throwing bodies in front of shots. May not seem a lot, but much improved over the last couple of years.

Opta's Predictor has us finishing 6th come the end of the season, and the skates getting relegated. I'd take that if you'd offered it to me right now.

Wanted to see that Aribo yellow on the extended highlights but of course they cut it.

I think tactically there is an issue with the late game deep defence - we simply sit there and do absolutely zero to prevent the crosses - and its an issue, becuase we also can't then defend them when they arrive in the box. He needs to work something out. When we're attacking its fine - the other teams can't live with us. But when we let them come on to us we are just set up quite poorly and no one seems inclined to stop the crosses, or to know who should be rushing out to pick up free players suddenly getting the ball.

Okay, let’s revisit this one in a few months.

Portsmouth at home

I know many of you don’t have TikTok but the country is a disgrace. 88yo veteran who lost his wife still has to work 5 days a week because fucked over by General Motors and has no other income. Fund raised loads as obviously touched people’s hearts https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNRLduDyT/ Had to look it up to check hadn’t been duped https://news.sky.com/story/ed-bambas-88-year-old-veteran-who-worked-full-time-at-supermarket-given-1-2m-to-help-him-retire-13479543

Gets my vote. But please don’t lose.

Last league game at Goodison, first FA Cup tie at Hill Dickinson perhaps

I dont think Saints use enough trickery or buy enough fouls so I'm fine with it. However saying that Manning isn't clever enough to do it and several times has been caught out. He falls over too easily when a tackle is needed instead.

Home tie, Boreham Wood, Swindon or Blackpool. But likely to be Liverpool, Newcastle or Man City away. Palace away if its about 3700+ allocation.

Where are you in Mexico?