Whitey Grandad

Ask me again in early March, and again in April...

Exactly this. We tried the pretty, attractive stuff against them in that game and we lost. Is that what he would have preferred?

I think I'd be disappointed with anything lower than 4th.

Is he getting his excuses in early?

But if he's injured then others will get game time ahead of him. That's why you have a squad system.

I think that counts as a goal attempt. The ball would have gone in if the keeper hadn't stopped it.

To be fair, that quote just says 'Europe'.

Very good!

Penguin

Are you really arguing that what happened later was all down to one man?

You obviously know what you're doing. Congratulations, and good luck to you

One of the first rules of business: if someone's indispensable, get rid of them. As an American company president once said to me: "nobody's indispensable, Kennedy gets shot, we've got a new president in 5 minutes". The man who said this to me dropped dead on a tennis court a few months later. His company continued without him.

In his case he complains of a 'conspiracy' against Chelsea. Saying that Dowd is too fat is irrelevant. All referees have to pass a very strict fitness test.

That's a complete load of billhooks. Defending is just as much a part of the game as attacking and didn't Gary Neville say he enjoyed watching that? And how can he say that hitting the post and getting the rebound was lucky? Pellè was aiming for that tight spot between the goalkeeper and the post and was unlucky that it didn't go straight in. Mata's attempts were wide of the goal so therefore his efforts were less skilful than Graziano's.

In order to play in the first tie he would have needed to be registered by 12:00 noon on the Friday before, which was before the transfer window opened.

Some players take a weak hold of an opponent's shirt because they can tell where that player is moving whilst they're watching the ball come in. Just holding a shirt is not enough for a foul, it would have to prevent the opponent from moving freely. Smalling was definitely 'holding' Pellè and should have been penalised. I suspect that Dowd had been given information at some stage because he warned Smalling later in the game.

No. He would have had to have been eligible for the original tie.

Only £280,000 according to The Mail, if that makes you feel better

But, from what I read in a weekend paper, the other fella texted Evans and told him to come and help himself too. There were also the other two that videoed the whole thing through the window, or something. Then the two footballers left the girl to herself in the small hours and told the doorman to watch out for her. Or have I misread all this?

Perhaps I'm just more laid-back about such things.

After reading a bit more I can't understand how one was acquitted and the other was convicted, but I suppose this is where we have to leave it up to the judge and jury.

I don't remember Waddle, to be honest, but I do remember Ulrich Van Gobbel having a good game.

They're both very true. I suppose what I meant was 'being 1-0 up and in total control'. The only similar away game that I have experienced was away at Roker Park when Egil had score for us.

But if you finish 4th and get knocked out of the CL preliminary round, isn't that 'game over'?

Or Arsenal win this year's Champions League and finish outside the top 4?