benali-shorts

“Overloaded with impressive centre backs”. Spellcheck cruelly putting ‘impressive’ instead of mediocre.

As alternative, slightly less depressing, ideas - Rui Faria or Zeljko Buvac. Both want to step up to head coach role. Both aren't Steve Bruce.

Excellent.

Nope

Benali Biryani My q: which saints player has a first class degree in Chemistry?

Liv unluckiest, then Brighton, then Saints/Newcastle (4 point swing). It brought back painful memories of Doucoure's handball..... Odd that there's no VAR given the poor standard of refereeing last season. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45087444 Premier League table 17-18 'Luck Index' simulated table 17-18 Manchester City 100 Manchester City 97 Manchester United 81 Liverpool 87 Tottenham 77 Tottenham 77 Liverpool 75 Manchester United 75 Chelsea 70 Arsenal 71 Arsenal 63 Chelsea 70 Burnley 54 Burnley 50 Everton 49 Newcastle 48 Leicester 47 Brighton 46 Newcastle 44 Everton 44 Crystal Palace 44 Crystal Palace 42 Bournemouth 44 West Ham 41 West Ham 42 Watford 41 Watford 41 Leicester 40 Brighton 40 Southampton 40 Huddersfield 37 Bournemouth 38 Southampton 36 Stoke 37 Swansea 33 Huddersfield 37 Stoke 33 Swansea 34 West Brom 31 West Brom 33

....and there we are.

Is it time to start speculating that Hughes has delayed signing to screw a better transfer budget? Hmmm....

Hughes done and confirmed Friday. He’s earned it, let’s hope it goes well.

Yes, I wondered the same. There's probably a shelf life for the Director of Football role (for both parties) and a move for Les might suit both parties if Gao wants to re-structure here too, which would be understandable. I suspect a summer of re-structuring lies ahead regardless of what league we end up in.

West Ham after an experienced Director of Football. Les must have been saving up all those amazing transfer prospects and top European coach lists for them. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/west-ham-to-appoint-a-director-of-football-as-david-sullivan-takes-a-step-back-from-transfer-a3788646.html

One dimensional and total uninspiring.

Wilson has been terrible, including his gratutitous self-promotion in the media when Rangers interviewed him. 4 appalling transfer windows in a row. Amazed Les hasn't hung him out to dry in the name of self preservation.

Hmm, Ralph, Les, Mitchell and Pellegrino all in the same room together? Someone fetch the ricin.

You lucky bastard Quincy. You nearly had to play for the worst manager in world football.

This is a relatively well built model, if there is such a thing. Has us 7th most likely to be relegated, finishing on 38 pts: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/premier-league/

So if Carrillo arrives, it may be instead of Gabbi rather than in addition to...

With Verdi possible starting, Bologna intends to take precautions with possible substitutes. Today there was a meeting with the agent of Orsolini but there is also another idea for the attack. This is Manolo Gabbiadini: an idea, this, for the immediate (if Southampton lets him go right in January) or for June. There was also a meeting for him between the agent and the rossoblù company, intent on returning to Serie A Gabbiadini. It will be only to see if the times will be short or will work for the summer.

Agree re Maddison. We were linked with him when he moved from Coventry. Would be nice to think we had a coherent transfer modus which involved decent young talent from the Championship.

Presumably Maya, Virgil, Hoedt - Cedric lemina Romeu PEH Bertrand - redmond Long. Which all makes sense from damage limitation perspective.

Great hair? Check. Well-cut suit jacket? Check. Managed at mid-table euro teams? Check. Out of contract in the summer? Check. If he also wears tight trousers, I think we have our man. Paulo Fonseca

Always a pleasure to reminisce: https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/sep/22/the-joy-of-six-matt-le-tissier

Whoever was co-commentating on the stream on Saturday (Curbishley?) suggested Forster has an achilles issue which prevents him pushing off effectively. Would explain his seeming inability to move quickly, but would make it completely bizarre to fail to address cover in the window given McCarthy's ongoing injuries too. If the commentator was aware of this physical limitation, presumably all the teams are (and would be from England camps anyway where they must have to manage the injury) and would make Steve's comment above re frequency of long range shooting even more relevant.

Weren't we after Musa last summer?

This is beautiful work. Keep going.