Graffito

I’m trying to think back, has any ref stuck with his original decision having been asked by the VAR to view replays? As far as I can recollect, as soon as you see the ref running towards the telly you know the decision is going to get overturned. Certainly with all the penalties I can’t think of a single decision that hasn’t been reversed. It’s almost as if the refs are thinking the VAR thinks I’ve got this wrong so I’d better change my mind. There’s a lot of pressure on the ref in these moments, a lot more than with split second decisions during play, and it probably takes balls to stick with his original decision.

Phil Neville’s adopted a very annoying way of commenting. For some reason he’s talking in a hoarse whisper. Surely someone at the BBC could have a quiet word in his shell like and tell to stop being so silly.

A reminder of how effective Tadic can be with a big target man.

Not filled with enthusiasm but I’ll renew before midnight. What would I do otherwise, push a trolley around Sainsbury’s with Mrs G.

Fair enough. All good for Leicester then. Good luck with the real Mahrez replacement.

I’m aware of that and it’s totally irrelevant to what I said.

As a replacement he’ll be forever compared with Marhez. Would have had less pressure at Saints and an easier step up to the PL.

Some of the best and some of the worst. So what does that prove, nothing.

Palace away last season was no show pony performance. I recall after the match thinking there was not a single misplaced pass or missed tackle. The key is to get him doing that consistently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44331299 Agree with this. Plain common sense as usual from Nevin.

I watched the match in Spain. Seems quite likely he'll leave. The coverage here though is all about Ronaldo's future.

Klopp wasted a haircut on that shambles?

You're a ***t. Hth.

On the other hand people I know who know MH tell me his coaching team, MB and EN, are well regarded.

No idea whether or not Boufal has a poor attitude but I do think he doesn’t play enough with his head up. Stating the bleeding obvious but it’s a team game. It’s a real pity because he can play a pass with a good weight, but all too infrequently because he’s got his head down trying to slalom through the opposition.

All very interesting but totally irrelevant. You can’t answer the question can you?

So explain why Southgate played Bertrand over Rose in the qualifiers?

Yes the strategy is inherently risky. Liverpool will have known about Mane and Van Dyke but will have been unsure about how they would go in the PL. Saints take a risk on these kinds of players. Some work out, some don’t.

Everyone is ignoring the elephant in the room. Nellie.

“Bertrand got what his performances deserved, dropped”. So, a) why wasn’t he dropped before now (he played in qualifiers if I recall correctly) and b) Do you think Rose’s 10 performances for Tottenham deserved him being selected and why? Since I have just 3 posts I’ll anticipate a response along the lines of the manager thinks Rose is a better player. Well that would be a different argument from the manager selecting, or not selecting in Bertrand’s case, on the basis of form, your point.

I think that’s a little unfair. Being as objective as possible I recognise Rose is a good left back but he’s barely played this season whereas Bertrand has played regularly for Saints and for England. Delph and Young are not specialist fullbacks and Young is right footed which isn’t a plus in my view, especially if England want to hit teams on the break. In terms of versatility, Bertrand can play as one of three at the back as he did under Koeman. I know Southgate has walker at right back who has played there for England but just the once I believe and that was experimental. It’s a genuine surprise Bertrand has been dropped.

May not be just you but it’s single digits.

In a squad whose quality has been so diminished why on earth would any fan want to sell Tadic?

Yet there’s nothing special about sliced bread.

Give them one then kick the sh1t out of them.