Graffito

The qarabag pitch might be a little waterlogged. Seems to have drifted out into the Caspian. Really good though. Cheers.

Show me anything in my post which can remotely be called bullying. You've had to go back a long way to find "crocks" and I wouldn't call Osvaldo a crock, just a poor buy.

It would be subject to medical remember. Reading between the lines, Saints have another option in Stanciu, in the unlikely event that the medical should fail. Subject to the usual YouTube compilation disclaimer, this bloke Boufal looks really good. All positive.

Play our strongest side to win this and qualify for the EL or play some reserves? I think they'll be a fair few reserves selected a) because of EL demands and b) to encourage the youngsters.

Something to do with the club not expecting to have to appoint a new manager, who has a different playing style.

Could have been because Long took off his armband and flung it to the pitch when he realized he was being subbed.

Have you considered that anyone not seeing it may simply not have seen what you saw?

Only saw it in real time and it looked soft. Saw it on MoTD and it was a dive.

Correct. The full backs didn't play badly last night but they need to be better to make this system work.

He got played in beautifully first half and fluffed his shot. You've got to put those away.

I thought United struggled against the diamond first half. The system looked better as we moved the ball quicker. Passing slowed right down towards the end with inevitable consequences. The long diagonal was used a lot and could be effective if only the full backs were able and willing to take on their men and get to the byeline. Any ideas on the kind of forward that would suit this system? Fair play to the bloke singing OWTS on the Altricham bound tram afterwards. Just as well you got off when you did though.

Absolutely pathetic, writing someone off after one competitive match.

Most of the players are struggling with the new formation (has the club ditched the strategy of playing 4-3-3 from first team down to Academy?). However, PEH can play it and I was encouraged by how Tadic played. I guess this system comes down to having quality on the ball, good mobility/work rate and puts a premium on decision making. Some of our players were found a bit wanting yesterday both physically and mentally. Playing it safe to retain possession (e.g JWP) was never going to win the game but taking a few risks by driving forward through the middle (PEH) might have won it, granted this was against 10 for some of the second half. Don't know if anyone has commented on Long and Cedric arguing on the pitch. Cedric played a pass to feet which was intercepted. Long wanted it played over the top. It must have been frustrating for Long and Redmond to wait patiently through the slow, predictable build ups only to receive passes with their backs to goal. It's not their strength.

Lower the price. Improve the product. Go on a charm offensive. A quick win for Ralph you'd have thought.

Yep. He sees them come. He sees them go. He stays. He improves. The team improves despite the departures. He wins the Euros. And in all that time who has come in for him? Cardiff f**king City. You can see why he might want to go to a Champions League Club. Just wish he didn't tell the press. Unnecessary.

I'm surprised and would be a little disappointed if that's turns out to be the case for Saints. I thought from early doors he could play as a 10. My only concern would be if he is closely marked or crowded out and loses possession we'd be vulnerable to a counter attack as he doesn't track back. If he plays the role I think he needs free reign to be as mobile as possible.

There was an article in the Times over the weekend which alluded to how agents expect that most deals in any transfer window, especially in the PL, happen towards the end of the transfer window. Add to that, disruption caused by the Euros. Then factor in that we have a new Manager who needs to assess his squad when players involved in the Euros are returning late, before he presses the button on any further transfers, then a hiatus in signings is entirely understandable.

Fair enough but a missed opportunity to have made a similar statement about all the blocking, shirt pulling and downright wrestling that goes on in the box prior to free kicks and corners. We want less foul play and more goals. Why not state that the laws will be enforced consistently on this stuff from this season onwards, a penalty and minimum yellow.

That he's gone to China, for the money, suggests it was right to let him go. And good luck and best wishes to him.

Here and only here does anyone give a flying f**k what Les Reed says about our midfield. It's a big world out there and it doesn't care about SFC, let alone what one of its employees thinks about its pool of midfielders. On topic - seems like an excellent signing.

He's playing wide right in what appears to be a three coming inside to link up therefore using his right predominantly. Need to see him in a CM role which looks like what he's cut out for. This will show us his range of passing on both sides, ability to switch play, tackling, heading and spatial awareness.

Some key players have been signed up to improved contracts. It will have been common knowledge within the squad which players were leaving. Those signed up to improved contracts would not have done so if replacements for those leaving were to be academy graduates. Those signing up will have wanted, and will have been given, comfort if not assurances on replacement signings. Replacement signings are quite compatible with integrating more of the academy players. After all, the club has made a significant long term investment in the acdamy. Given the number of matches this year, there will be opportunities for these players, I suspect principally in cup competitions and appearances from the bench. The club has money, it has time and it has choices.

Let's reduce capacity and save costs.

It's meant to be lucky. Sure as hell doesn't feel like it.

England’s Euro 2016 undermined by friction between Roy Hodgson and Gary Neville • England manager’s methods were openly questioned by his own staff • ‘The players got on fine. It was the coaches who fell out,’ the Observer is told Exclusive by Daniel Taylor Published: 22:30 BST Saturday, 02 July 2016 England’s Euro 2016 campaign was undermined by a deterioration in the working relationship between Roy Hodgson and Gary Neville and a series of disagreements among the coaching staff, the Observer can reveal. While the England players bonded well during the tournament, it has emerged there was friction behind the scenes when it came to Hodgson and members of his backroom staff. Although the relevant people all have considerable respect for one another, in the worst moments there was a clear divide about the team’s methods and, in particular, signs of tension between Hodgson and Neville. England showed they never learn, never improve and never bounce back | Paul Wilson Others became involved, with Hodgson’s methods openly being questioned by his own staff. “The players got on fine,” this newspaper has been told. “It was the coaches who fell out.” The Football Association was so concerned about high jinks at the team’s base in Chantilly it has also emerged the £500-a-night Auberge du Jeu de Paume was told to remove its chandeliers before the players arrived or risk them being smashed. The hotel reopened this weekend and staff have revealed they took down their most expensive glass fittings because the FA was worried they might be damaged. While the players were generally supportive of Hodgson and angered by reports that they questioned Raheem Sterling’s selection in the Iceland game, the fact they took it upon themselves to remove Harry Kane from corner-taking duties indicates they were not always happy with the manager’s tactics. Hodgson’s training methods – questioned by Steven Gerrard after the last World Cup – were one source of the disagreements. Neville had a close ally in Dave Watson, the goalkeeping coach. Players have complained of mixed messages and the general sense of confusion is not eased by the revelation that one turned to the dugout during the Iceland defeat and asked where a team-mate was supposed to be playing. The revelations come on the same day the FA’s chief executive, Martin Glenn, described his predecessors as “naive” for paying so much to previous England managers and made it clear the next appointment would be offered a performance-related salary. Hodgson’s annual £3.5m pay meant he had the highest basic salary of all the managers at Euro 2016, though still considerably less than the £6m-a-year packages that were put in place for Fabio Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson.