CB Fry

He's now on seven straight defeats, he'll do well not to get overhauled himself. Good job they had the points in the bank.

Guaranteed twelfth place is in touching distance...

Shane Long is good for a good four a season, for a kick off. Seriously, some people.

Who Zeefuik does he think he is.

Yes fair enough I think I negated to consider the GD benefit gained by Leicester by the act of winning the match v MUFC.

Whereas I get to laugh at you right now.

Harry Maguire was 18 months later, English etc etc. I imagine whatever amount we got for Van Dijk you'd be moaning. Just a hunch.

His value now would be ever so slightly influenced by his performance at the highest level. Like, you know, winning the Champions League and the League title.

We undersold Virgil Van Dijk. Jesus wept.

I watched the NBC stream: it was Matt Holland, they talked about Matt's connection with Ipswich and how "Ipswich God" Mick Mills played for Saints in the 1980s and how that would be exciting for the young Matt. The chronology didn't quite work because Matt then started talking about Jimmy Case who I would say was slightly later than Mills. But that was more to do with Peter Drury burbling on. Anyway, Robbie Mustoe has no link to Ipswich.

After yesterday, Spurs have pretty much kiboshed that as a contest now. If Man U win their game in hand then Leicester would need to be winning that last match by two or three clear goals, so not quite the straight fight it could have been. However United do have Moyes West Ham to play so could that be one more twist...

Yes, maybe. It could be a failure of imagination on my part but I am not seeing any of the clubs that would genuinely turn his head - Arse, Man U, Citeh, Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea - being interested considering the likely fee. Ings actively agitating for a move to Newcastle, Leicester or Everton i would hope is not a likely scenario. That said, if we aren't putting down a contract extension and pay rise this summer, we are playing with fire.

I would say Norwich and Bournemouth are polar opposites with regard to how "well run" they are.

Absolutely. I think Ings in that position where he's worth far more than any sensible club would pay for him. We'd want £60m levels of stupid money, no club with any sense would pay that and then be lumbered with the kind of wages and contract you'd have to give to a player that expensive. Meaning the only clubs that would buy him would have far more money than sense = as I've said before, for example a Newcastle United drunk with Saudi billions. Hopefully today's abomination of a penalty has put them all off now anyway.

If you look at points per game and win ratio he's the most successful manager Watford have had in the Premier League. Apparently, I haven't checked. They're run by nutcases. Genuinely thought they'd got some replacement lined up but not, just a Wigley-esque Hayden Mullens to inspire them against City and Arsenal. Quite like to see Villa do a proper great escape and send Watford and the Bucket rattlers down.

Oh Che.

Hojberg is a player that makes goals happen.

We are definitely definitely definitely going to concede in a minute.

Nigel Pearson has apparently been sacked by Watford. Good. Arrogant prick with no actual achievements to back it up.

https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/topic/58161-bmuff-v-saints-build-up/?do=findComment&comment=2829256

Not an album I've heard for a long time but it's an absolute belter. I'll have to have a listen to the remaster. James and Nicky appear on the excellent BBC4 film about Rockfield Studios that was on tonight. Well worth watching for anyone interested in rock/pop over the last 50 odd years.

And they've already won a trophy this season.

Just want to check with the forum experts that we are still going to be catching Burnley right?

Go and find the stats showing how many central midfielders whose stats show the majority of passes are backwards. What Batman is talking is comparative. You showing a chart dealing in absolute numbers is useless. Central midfielder mainly kicks forwards. Fuck me, give him the Ballon D'Or already.

I have no interest in getting into a statistical debate with a freak but this information on its own is absolutely useless. I'd be surprised if there is any central midfielder in Britain who shows the majority of passes backwards. Even the most negative midfielder in the country I would think still shows a majority of forward passes. The data is only useful in comparison with other players.