Badger

Don’t disagree with that either. At the end of last season, and before Spygate, my hope had been Larin, Stewart and another, the quality and experience of the other dependent on which league we were in. That hasn’t changed we need another good CF option to go with Larin irrespective of Stewart. None of the current squad options, BBD, Archer or Downs are the answer in my book. And Dobbin doesn’t seem a CF as good as he may prove elsewhere

I can understand you not wanting him near the first team but we’d be paying his wages if injured. Far better he gets a loan out again somewhere

Exactly. One of them might come good, but I wouldn’t bank on it, and it seems pretty foolish to go into the season relying on BBD, Archer and Downs. I’d go further and add I wouldn’t want to rely on Stewart if he returns staying fit for the season either.

It’ll be swept under the carpet and forgotten. £10m is a drop in the ocean for Chelsea, the FA have just gone through the motions.

How close to the mark was Crook with his prediction in May ?

I doubt ours will come today now or be too severe if it does. The contrast with this token penalty handed to Chelsea will be too significant to be missed by even the thickest fuckwit out there (including in Middlesbrough).

That’s often dependent on the fixtures the next day to take the headlines.

My itk source says we have but are holding back the official announcement to have a joint photo-shoot with Rudi Skacel. And Eddie Howe. Or some bloke called Frank Thomas.

Especially when you’ve got a whole season of previous games to consider and extract data from. Really was unnecessary.

Let’s not forget Archer’s impressive form once upon a time in the Championship. Doesn’t mean he’ll achieve it again but can’t take it away from him.

Harres was talked about as a potential EPL target a couple of seasons ago, but it didn’t happen. Have read good reports on Bobcek, loosely linked with us in one probably unreliable feature. Surprised he hasn’t moved yet. But perhaps despite the articles the real scouts don’t think he’s up to it .

Suspicion is that they want people to take notice and talk about it. Especially after their ‘get tough’ message yesterday about increasing punishment for aggravated breaches. This isn’t an aggravated breach - whatever that is - but it might help reinforce the FA stance. Before they recoil to become toothless to deal with more important issues

Or before when Tuchel throws his toys out of the pram, after a mighty fall out with players, or media, or FA.

Burnley seem to have done well from our cast offs who leave for pennies. Recall them spending a few million after and getting good service from Jack Cork as well.

“We got a really bad result….. “ Yes Russ, just the one bad result. It was so unfair. And he speaks of humility at the end of the interview.