Holmes_and_Watson

That's what you get browsing through the seedier parts of the internet. Dread to think what the link you were aiming for was. 🙂

Not touching the app... but it would be Ramsdale for me. The highest quality player we have, and without whom it could actually have been a lot worse.

89 - A flurry of VA subs, possibly getting a good ye. Traore was one of these. 90 - AFC hit the post from the left edge of the box. That's it over. AFC found the way to unlock the VA defence with ease, but lacked the skill to do it often enough and the clinical finishing to punish the visitors. VA eventually sharpened up a bit more centrally. Not that there should have been gaps given their lack of attacking. A good third goal was the highlight for VA, who relied on defensive errors for their first two.

85 - VA saving their energy up. A good pass from the centre out wide. Under a little pressure it's put into the centre for a VA player who has run from deep to get ahead of the defence and put it in. 3-0 to VA

76 - A rare unforced looking keeper sub for the home side. Not much going on. So a comment on earlier in the half. A VA long ball to a lone attacker deceives him and his two markers. The two defenders fall over themselves, but take the VA player down too. Someone on the VA bench picked up a card, presumably saying they brought the player down. A player who didn't know where the ball was. 78 - A decent home chance from an unmarked good range header. Straight at the 'keeper.

69 - A third golden opportunity wasted by the home side as they bundle a a VA defender off the ball to be through on goal. VA were fortunate to get their second, and have offered nothing. The home side have tried much more, but the tempo overall is a bit slow (not that unusual for these games)

65 - The same through ball that leaves the VA centre half's like statues, and led to the last one on one, is done again. This time cleared for a corner. VA captain telling players off, as they aren't picking up the runners.

62 mins. VA on the break! Forward in numbers! Overloading the defence! Made a total hash of it. AFC break back up the park and squander a 1 on 1 on the VA goal.

57 minutes and the first thing of interest puts VA 2 up. Neither keeper has been troubled. This was going to be the same, had not a header down at a sharp angle not hit off a defender and into their own net.

VA one up at half time. A poor touch was intercepted, VA ran through, and the defender with the poor touch bundled into the back of the VA player to concede a penalty. That was a few mins before half time. A lovely evening there, with another ground where you get to watch traffic and people too. Second half about to start. Let's see if VA can end the season with a win, before the summer overhaul.

Clive Mendonca sinking hopes for a season in the second game... https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=1073181736082664&vanity=OfficialCAFC

They touched on this in Dyche's interview. His point was that managers with a "philosophy" get a free pass that he never did, playing what he felt would secure a place in the division. If we knew how Martin (I know you're a supporter, so just using this as an example) sets out to play every game, is that not one dimensional too? Ralph had his playbook, and Juric his own things he wanted. Nate doesn't count, as he was a basket case, where the oncoming subs turned round to ask for clarity. 🙂 Does "one dimensional" and "philosophy" extend beyond results, into personal/ generational/cultural preference?* (Deep football philosophy questions kindly supplied by @gio1saints 🙂)

"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" "Sacked by you in under 2 is normal. If we're in the PL, then a mid level club there, while being feted for England manager for a while. If I do exceptionally badly, but don't adjust, then the Bayern or Barca job."

I caught a little of the post match interview. He said something like "well, that looks dramatic," but the 4th official had told him it was about to end. I saw it the same way everyone else here has. He couldn't control himself for much of the rest of it (was celebrating with fans and dancing around when they scored). That extended to there as well, with full knowledge of who was around him. We'll see if prayers help in the final.

I wonder what they thought of Russ' fist pumps after the match? This season, practically none of them have done a single thing where there's a chance of stolen limelight. So, I guess that was their way of solving that. 🙂

Meanwhile, at the venue, the ticket office manager watches Sigourney Weaver check the fuel in her flamethrower, before entering the nest of Giant Asian Hornets. "They're never going to believe us, when we say this is unforseen," she thinks to herself.

From what I see of him, he's moved on, in terms of getting some success. However, he's not changed a bit. If anything, it's got worse as he's so desperate to come back. If he finds a group to buy into his style, drive them with that personality, and mould them, then you get a cohesive all-in group like he had at Luton and now Charlton. That's great for everyone to a point. But success means bringing in better quality. Players who have nothing to learn from him, and who find his unstable attitude to be undermining. That impacts the group and sends him on the spiral we, and Stoke fans, have seen. I hope, for his own sake, that he can find a way out of that.

Good grief. Horrible looking. I'd be calling Sigourney Weaver to go in and clear out the nest. 🙂

It would do a lot of them a world of good if they went on MNF and got shown, with no prior knowledge, half a dozen of their own teams conceding across the season. At the end of the first one, they're asked how they would change it. Only to be faced with another clip from a month later, with the same error. You'd soon have them turning on the players as not being good enough for "their" system. But it's far too cosy for such home truths.

Crock Pot: The Crock that Cooks. Meet their Spokesperson...

Cameras on Nathan at the end. Going ballistic over everything, barely coherent, on his knees praying before the whistle and then doing a Ralph. It clearly means so much to him, but it can't be good for his wellbeing.

Great to see the Coat of Trust back, ahead of the summer. No doubt there will be lots of hangers on, as usual.

I'd love to see a Dyche & Ankerson chat. 🙂

A sequel to him not understanding Director of Football a while back.

I thought Martin would have taken all the signs with him.