Wurzel

Hope Armstrong and Che don't try and tap anyone up from that squad on our behalf. Apart from Robertson there's not one that looks like they'd improve our squad, let alone our first XI.

Even when only comparing transfers made during the same seasons there are some - with the benefit of hindsight - strange disparities between fees paid for some players. Thinking more about the value we got out of players than their value at the time. 2012 Yoshida cosat less than Forren 2014 Pelle cost less than Long 2015 Romeu cost the same as Juanmi and less than half the cost of Clasie 2017 Everyone cost less than Carillo Guess ever club in the country gets some right and some wrong.

Is it too late to revoke my choice of Turkey as dark horses? They looked very poor with their passing and by the end were so knackered their next game (whenever it is) is going to come to soon for them

Winners: Belgium Runners Up: Portugal Scotland get knocked out at: Group stage Wales get knocked out at: Round of 16 England get knocked out at: Round of 16 Dark Horse (Furthest a team gets excluding England, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal): Turkey Top Goalscorer: Lukaku UEFA Best Player: De Bruyne UEFA Best Young Player: Torres

One of my favourite ever football books. (His European stadiums was equally as good). An updated version would be interesting to compare, but I'd bet he'd struggle to find such floweryt romanticised descriptions for some of the modern grounds.

I'm intrigued by "“It’s important for our fans to know that we will pursue them to the end of the Earth until we get our money back" Get it back? Surely we weren't taken in so easily we gave them some?

But we have always been so prudent. Our policy was for a long time break even every two years, so the odd big name like Keegan had to pay for itself the following yeare or player(s) sold to cover the cost then. That continued through Lowe era but one big gamble on a "spend" season that didn't get us back to the PL as expected suddenly put us in the shit. Marcus allowed us a 5 year plan after which he intended us to be self sufficient. The current situation is really nothing new.

After the Romania friendly on Sunday

To be fair I'd dispute the BIB. He'sdone the right thing by leaving the running of the club to Semmens & Co. Christ (or Confucious) knows what shit we'd be in now if he put no money in AND decided he wanted to be hands on and treated us as a plaything.

As a dickhead right whinger myself I have to agree with you, totally unnecessary to bring politics into a football discussion. But back on topic, there's a lot of assumptions that if he sees out his contract he'll be off next year anyway. Maybe the club are gambling that being a year older no bigger club will want him anyway* and/or we'll have been taken over by then and be able to offer him a better contract then than we can currently commit to right now. *Although Aguero at 32 (thought he was older) going to Barcelona possibly pisses on that theory

Great info thanks for taking time to post it. Stats like that always amaze me. I know selective memory plays tricks on us but back in the day it seemed the likes of Chris Nicol and Dave Watson would head away dozens of crosses every game, whilst Jimmy Case and Terry Hurlock would have made 25 tackles (some of them fair) before half time every game. Nowadays 3 per 90 minutes is good!

And not only that, every one above him except for Kane (no fee but worth fuck knows now) Vardy and Bamford cost more than him as well, some considerably more. Even this season ( poor compared to last) represented great value for money.

Interesting to see who we have modelling it in the photos this year. I'll go for JWP home, KWP away and TBA keeper.

Jees😳 And the 20/21 award for most obvious attempt at trolling goes to....

He was sub in that game, he wasn't on the pitch until 2nd half. 🤔

Thought that one was inexcusable. He had so many options available and 2 or 3 occasions when he could make the pass and he appeared to simply not be able to make a decision , and just ran into trouble. I get a feeling Klopp's insistence that he was in his plans for next season was based on the fear they weren't going to qualify for the UCL and wouldn't be able to afford to replace him. Now they have I reckon they'll be happy to get shot of him, but from what I've seen so far one of the 3 promoted sides seems more his level. Wouldn't be happy keeping him.

To be fair you've got to give him some credit he *is* watching the ball 🤣 I recall another incident in the Leeds away game, approx 25 mins gone if anyone has a recording, and still 0-0 and we had a turnover attack. He was approx where the WHU 5 is in pic above with the whole pitch forward left of him empty and a diagonal ball from our right wing went over his head. He made a token jog to "chase" it (effectively just gave it up as a throw in) only to finally break out into a too late 5 yard fast jog as a Leeds midfielder sprinted back from half way line and got the ball before it reached the touch line. That and todays offside summed up his season. Lazy easy option every time.

Covid 4th wave abandons the season and we live to fight another year.

I'd like to say that was a deliberate "error" to see if you'd spot it.....but it wasn't.

BIB Not a dig at you personally but anyone who keeps regurgitating statements like that. It's been proved in the accounts over and over again that the current owner hasn't taken a penny out of the club, and KL previously IIRC only ever took a reasonable interst charge for money she loaned. There are owners at other clubs who have unashamedly been taking money out of their clubs, and those club's fans are understandably protesting, but thankfully we don't have that type of owner here. (Although it could be argued we make bugger all money for them to be able to take it anyway)

Maybe not the result but I think tomorrow could be the most important performance. We could still finish anywhere from 17th to 12th depending on results but for me tomorrows performance could say a lot about next season. Who is really up for proving to the boss they want to be part of it next season and who is going to treat is as a counting the days to the beach (good luck with that this year lads) dead rubber.

......Eagle, Royal Oak, Kingsland Tavern , Wig&Pen/Running Horse. I'm sure we're only missing about a dozen or so between us of long lost matchday pubs.

I like that a lot. And the shadow chevrons instead of in your face contrasting ones on the sleeve are a great touch. Gives me high hopes for our kit(s)- but I just don't like stripes.

BIB Think you're right there. Just shows how fragile a players career can be. A year ago probably a dead cert for his first major international tournament and Covid puts paid to that. A year on, and even with rose tinted SaintsSpecs on you'd be picking plenty ahead of him on current form/fitness. Similar to JayRod who looked nailed on for a World Cup place until one dodgy landing and his career was, whilst not excatly ended, but fair to say he was never the same player again.

I'm still waiting for someone to pull a muscle on his way up again and need substituting before kick off. I wonder how quickly it's continuation would get "reviewed" then.