Wurzel

Do we know he lost the captaincy? Did he just not get it back after coming back from an injury? Or maybe he simply didn't want the extra off-field responsibility such as interviews/marketing etc that goes with the role.

They've clearly been missing it at all those lockdown games you've been unable to attend this year. Could you try rubbing it harder when forced to watch on tv, and maybe do it at kick off . For what it's worth, no, leave the badge alone.

I've always hoped that with his business interests outside of football the "can't be bothered moving" would keep him here. Also thought that he'd go on to become a good coach or manager in years to come, but maybe those same business interests woulsd get in the way of that.

Keep the system but change it to a set number of appeals per team per game. No appeal, no check. There's just no need for them to go looking for something wrong when both sides have accepted a goal has been scored, Offsides are fact - i.e 1mm or 50cm, either you're offside or you're not. At the end of the day, .before VAR how many serious protests were there from players on the pitch if an erroneous offside was given/not given. a few raised arms, a few dirty looks at the linesman the odd crowding of the ref to go and speak to him, But generally there was a reluctant acceptance that if it was close enough that the defenders thought it was off and lino thought on, or vice versa then it was really to close to call. It's only the studio pundits with their constant replays of "controversial" incidents that created a fake demand for VAR. Fouls and handballs can be a bit more contentious , generally players know if either has genuinely been missed by the ref ( even though they'll still shout for it anyway). But again, how often are the real obvious ones missed? One captain's appeal per side per half should cover it.

Also Hummel's arrows/chevrons/whatever they call them are on top of the shoulder not forward facing, so from that view seen in the photo exactly half should be visible. And they only put them on shoulder nowadays, not down the sleeve as well.

Hard to judge really. We've only used him as a stop gap, as did Liverpool. Had we signed him permanently he might have played more regularly and/or in a more suited role. But from what I have seen of him while he's been here I'd say there's likely to be better suited options out there.

I see he's started the last half dozen Fulham games. Assuming he can't play against us?

That was a weird moment. Took a decent shot, almost on target. Next thing we see he's literally just walking off whilst play went on . Obviously off screen he must have signalled a pull or something to the bench but on tv it looked like he just gave up out of frustration or boredom. (Not suggesting for one second that was the case). Hopefully we'll see plenty more of him but have to admit, when watcing it I thought exactly the same as you.

Or maybe do a deal similar to some player transfers with a add on clauses. Accept we're shit now and take £100m now with extras over next 5 years every year we stay up, win a cup, qualify for Europe etc.

For me, despite the injury he's our player of the season. Sorely missed

Why the delay getting this one sorted? Looks like there's only midweek next week and final week as possible dates .

Christ, what odds did you place it at? They're still offering 50/1 now. If I can stick £20 on now and get an immediate £43 cash out I'll keep doing it over and over again.

Don't let that stop you. "To be eligible for the Premier League Hall of Fame this year, players must have been retired as of 1 August 2020, and only a player’s Premier League career is considered in his candidacy"

Re wage caps I'm no lawyer but I reckon there's a grey area between employment law and these are the rules if you want to participate in our competition. I.E. No restriction on whatever a club wants to offer Messi for his employment, but if club wants to participate in the PL then they can not pay a player a wage of more the £x per annum. Or maybe a Fantasy League style limit per team, choose Messi and 10 donkeys of field 11 JWPs. Maybe restraint of trade? Re the agents driving up prices/wages for Neymar/Haaland. Realistically, whether we like it or not there's currently probably 12-15 clubs that could even consider buying such players. If they are capable of getting together behind the scenes and (almost) launching a breakaway league, surely it's not beyond them to make a collective "let's stop these players/agents taking the piss and all offer sensible wages" type gentleman's agreement. Or would that be a cartel? Guess trouble with that there will always be one (Probably Real Madrid or Juventus) that would break the agreement (overtly or covertly) and there we're back to where wer are now.

I think the transfer fee deflation will naturally happen. No-one *has* to buy a certain player, they can always make do with what they have or turn to a cheaper option. If buyers don't have available funds the selling price will just have to drop or no sale takes place. But even if that doesn't happen, transfer fees are just money moving around from one club to another (ignoring VAT, agents fees etc). More of a concern for clubs is high wages. Every time payday comes round that is money that not only leaves the club, it leaves football. It's in the players bank, it can't be recycled to buy or pay another player at a later date. Not sure if anything can be done about current contracts but I can't see any player being offered higher (or even as high) contracts than they're on now in the near future. And maybe lower basics, higher performance bonuses will become the norm. That's what really bugs me about Perez and co complaining about losing money. Their biggest expenditure is transfer fees and wages, no-one is forcing them to offer such massive contracts other than their desire/obsession to make sure they get their man and no-one else does.

Maybe we have it the wrong way round. Maybe Plan B should be defend deeper for the first hour and play the high press for final 30 minutes as the opposition tire. Then again that would require keeping a clean sheet for those first 60 minutes. Ok What's Plan C? How about fresh legs off the bench after 60 minutes instead of 85?

Can't argue with that . I like his personality and his commitment but it is rapidly dawning on even my glass half full mind that tacticaly he is either lacking or stubborn - either way it's not getting us points. Was shocked when I read he's had 93 games. Maybe it's down to the last stop start season and this one just not seeming real but in my head he's still new and finding his feet here. 93 games! That's more than enough to have done something about it. Thanks to CoVid I've been able to watch almost every game of ours this season on tv and it feels like I've watched virtually the same performance in every one of them. If I've seen eveery game then so have the teams we play against. We can't catch anyone by surprise with our tactics any more, they've all seen them and know how to counteract them. Yet we still haven't learnt to counteract their counteracting tactics. Something needs to change. I'm hoping it's RH working out a Plan B, C & D but if he can't, or is so stubborn it's plan A or nothing then afraid it's time to give someone else a go. Who? No idea who'd take the job right now but one thing is for sure, it needs to someone who relishes a challenge.

What's going on! Have they had some sort of clear the air talks since Sunday. Fast, positive, committed, actually playing with smiles on their faces. Best 45 minutes this year. Still, guess it's easy against a mediocre mid-table English team, glad we're not up against one of the European elite teams 😂😂

No, according to THIS they would both qualify but we would have less Europa/Conference places. Hope they do receive some kind of punishment but to be fair they've provided us with more entertainment in 2 days than the rest of the season put together

Whipround?

Remember it very much like you describe. As for the people lining the bridges, where did they all come from? This was years before the internet, let alone mobile phones, social media etc yet somehow literally hundreds if not thousands of people had the same idea to go to their nearest motorway bridge and welcome us all home. Great day.

Great idea posted by someone on BBC website which unfortunately we can file under "Ain't gonna happen"

Interesting theory from an agent in the latest Athletic article, the ESL clubs likely to pay *lower* wages than they do now. With no threat of relegation and no need to win enough games to qualify there'll be no need to pay mega wages to ensure they get the top players. That would be really funny, fans around the world wetting themselves with excitement over a *Super* league full of journeymen.

If the PL doesn't have the guts to kick the 6 out , then the other 14 should instantly open negotiations to rejoin the Football League, leaving the 6 to play each other every weekend as well as midweek. Let's see how long tv viewers and live supporters can stay interested in that.

Checking my Fantasy Team I accidentally clicked on the PL pages and noticed a link to Tables (plural) which confused me a bit. Have to admit I only ever follow the first team, but this also has the Tables for PL2 and the U18 leagues (as no doubt does the clu OS, but rartely check that either). Current tables First Team 14th in League of 20 (2 wins in last 5 games) PL2 Team 13th in League of 13 (5 defeats in last 5 games) U18 Team 13th in League of 13 (1 draw in last 5 game ) Looks like the whole playing side is going tits up from top to bottom, aany hope of loads of new youngsters coming through to save the day looks to be a forlorn one. I really like RH and hope we keep him but it does appear that it's time to rip up his "playbook" and have a total tactical rethink.