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Yes, as it's next to your avatar under location; The Metropolis of Wem.

I'll back the players but there is no way I'll back the manager. He's taking us down and I said that to ericb after the away game at Huddersfield. As an aside I rode through Wem today as I do on a semi-regular basis, and saw someone in a BHA top which I though was a tad random. Lovely place though.

This is how I understood it to have played out. Theo's agent asks Arsenal if Theo is in long term plans and is told no. Agent asks as to whether he is free to actively look for another club for Theo and is told yes. Theo himself tells agent that, OK, put the feelers out but my priority is to stay at Arsenal. Arsenal inform agent of approx' asking price for Theo. Originally this was £20m. Agent informs clubs and basically sends out a rider with salary, bonuses etc included alongside the anticipated fee. Saints get in touch with agent and come up with a package which all parties are content with. The sticking point is timing as Saints want deal done for the very start of the window whilst agent wants to wait to see if better deals are on offer. Window opens and interest is obviously there and Arsenal up their price accordingly and Theo/agent stall on joining Saints for two reasons. Firstly, Saints are in a relegation battle and Theo isn't interested in that and secondly, more money is now going to be on offer elsewhere. Enter Everton and I believe shortly, WHU. Usual T&Cs apply so treat this info as you wish.

Wolves in the FAC quarter final in 2003 is right up there IMHO.

That was, without doubt, the view of the vast majority. Just to add something to my post from last evening. It wasn't a player who changed his mind, it was the players agent who decided it wasn't now in the the best interests of his client to move to Saints apparently. My mistake, I'd misread/misinterpreted the messages.

Agents stalling, want more ££ and players very reluctant to join a team in real danger of relegation. Definite impact on Theo deal, which is now looking very iffy at best and AN Other, I've no name as of yet but I believe French, who has now decided against a move. I'll try to find out more before the weekend. Hope they are wrong about Theo, I'd like to see him at Saints.

I win is great. I love an awayday to London, especially when we actually win and I'm already looking forward to the draw but the performance was woeful. Woeful. If anything, today's performance merely did more to illustrate just how big a mess we are in with the current manager in charge.

I usually agree with your footballing views, however, "competent tactics and substitutions"? Nah, can't agree with that at all.

I'm going and considering the best results I've seen this season are 0-0s against Swansea, Huddersfield & Utd I apologise now about the result.

This is a version of events that I've been told from the NW. Decision was made by Saints to flog him around the time of the Huddersfield game with the price set, as it had been in the summer, at £70m minimum and the desire to get rid at the start of the window so to have time to bring players in. VvD was told he'd be sold to the highest bidder, not his preferred club and he and his people were OK with that. Both City and Chelsea were informed of the decision and given 1st opportunity to speak with the players representatives. They were given 1st dibs due to the way they behaved during the summer, and backing out when Saints said he wasn't for sale. Players reps met with and agreed personal terms with the player and then City, I'm assuming Chelsea too but I'm not 100% on that, offered Saints £60m. It was about here that the dippers got in touch and basically said sorry about the summer and we'll give you £70m cash and £5m in very achievable add ons (spread over 2 payments I believe). Saints went back to the other 2 clubs but both bulked at £70m, or at least stalled, so Saints said yes to the dippers. By the time City realised that they'd been out maneuvered it was to late. Saints simply sold to the highest bidder on their own terms. Of course, feel free to treat this info in anyway you see fit but it is how I understand the timeline and events. Personally I thought he was going to go to Chelsea and City offered him a fortune but Saints just went for the most cash for the club.

Sooner 100 CB Fry's than 1 more knob like yourself.

All I've heard is that terms with Theo had been agreed "in principal" but it hinges on the fee that Arsenal want and what other clubs come in I guess.

Just got home after missing the 1st train. I must say I rather enjoyed that and fair play to my fellow travelling fans, decent enough atmosphere this evening.

I'm going so therefore a nailed on defeat.

We were very good away from home last season at times last season and played some cracking stuff and not to recorgnise that is simply foolish. I've been to most away games this season and we've not gone beyond average at best. Puel, for all of his faults, had a shape that we played to and away from home a recognisable style and we scored goals. Compare that with this season. The home games I've been to this year were much like last seasons. Timid. So we've gone from being poor at home but good away to being sh_it at both. Puel's problem, for the majority of fans, was that he wasn't Koeman. Anyone who thinks Saints would be the clusterfu_ck they are this season with Puel in charge clearly doesn't know much about football.

You really do chat utter boll_oxs.

Scheduled meeting. let's hope they still sack the clueless tw_at though.

I've had a great year considering I didn't get back on the bike until Feb' 1st and had to work my nuts off to get my fitness back. Highlights for me was doing Amstel Gold with my wingman (The WAGS rode too but not with us) and Chase The Sun. The later was tempered somewhat by some of my fellow clubmates who weren't quite as mentally strong as they needed to be. Did a couple of trips to Belgium to get my Flanders fix and watched Sagan win a couple of stages of a pro-race in Holland and Belgium. Mallorca was also excellent and was perfect to aid recovery and I'll be going back in 2019 as Easter is nice and late. As it stands today I'm just shy of 13,000km/120,000m clocked up with 28 centuries with 2 double centuries in there too. 2018 offers a lot. Gent-Wevelgem in early March (220km), Amstel again in April (200km), Italian Dolomites at May 1/2 term when I'm going to attempt all the ascents of Monte De Grappa and a week in The Alps in July with a local club. I've recently changed riding clubs so intend to do some racing in their colours come the summer.

Who are the the tin foil hat wearers going to blame now?

VvD's people, so I'll assume agent, met this week with representatives of City and Chelsea, with the permission of Saints. One of the 1st questions they asked City was would VvD get enough games in to qualify for a PL winners medal. I maybe able to find out more on Saturday.

#dogwhistle

Sums it up nicely.

The club won't sack him, they don't have the balls. Championship football, here we come.

Not long back so excuse my ramblings. It's no secret that I really don't rate MP. I think he's tactically weak and dogmatic in terms on 1 up front and will take us down. However, the team was set up well today with minimal space between the lines for Hazard to exploit and it worked really well right up until the 45th minute. The real issue, for me, was when the shape changed as Redmond, who had done as asked up to that point, just slowed everything down or simply turned into trouble by coming inside and snuffed out our attacks all by himself. Redmond should have been subbed for Austin IMHO allowing Gabbi to come from deeper. Boufal was tremendous I thought. Stephens was my MOTM.

I'm going. This is therefore a nailed of hammering. Sorry about that.