bugenhagen

Good point, and something that makes me wonder as well. Did the club decide on Tonda as the "fall guy" as they thought they would have a better case to plead the "I didn't know-card" with him, rather than with Spors? It could also be so easy as the analyst team did not report things like this to Spors? I guess the fact that Tonda is the manager (or head coach) and asked someone to gather info from other teams trainigs is why he is on trial, and Spors is not...

Or they just wanna make sure they have crossed their t's and dottet their i's before they light the fire and burn him at the stake? But seriously, I think they are thorough as they don't want to come down hard, only for the punishment be lifted on appeal. I do, however, agree with you that it is probably not as black and white as "we have accepted the charges = Tonda has plead guilty to all charges". There are for sure factors that makes it a little more difficult as others have been involved, but he is the person ultimatly responsible for what has happened.

And the impact of Baz sitting out is like Jamie Jones saying he refuses to play for us against Pompey because he thinks they are bad

I don’t really have a problem with the club watching other teams training, more the fact that they broke it in such amateurish manner and then defended themselves in an equally embarrassing manner… that’s just me. But I really hope we don’t go to the point where we try to drag other clubs down with us. Fight our cause, but not like that.

I think the rule is silly, and is just made up as them showing that they are doing something about it after the Bielsa debacle. I do however see the logic in the 72 hour period. Training is being watched up and down the country all the time, so they can’t ban it full stop without creating a mess for themselves in governing it. They therefore made the 72 hour thing so it potentially covers the two last days of training before the game, again, to make the rule sound smart in their eyes.

Crucifixion it is then! Good… Line on the left, one cross each. Next

That would be just perfect! Maybe we also could get a 2-for-1 deal to include the black box with all the players we had been tracking for years - just a coincidence they all had connections to Koeman.

I think you are jumping to a conlusion here that takes it a bit too far. It does not have to mean that they have identified someone from outside the organization. I think it is far more likely (based on how smart the club thinks it is) that the contigencie plans they have involves Adam Lallana or Ben Garner.

I was thinking that part of the reason why Stewart and Larin worked so well as a pair is the fact that they both started their fair share of games. There were periods when I thought Stewart was our best number nine, and other times I thought it was Larin. With the start Larin has had, it has been very difficult to start him on the bench, but I think this is the only way it will work like last season. A striker number two is never going to have the same inpact coming on at the end of games, if that is all he is doing. Mubama will never come good if all he does is come on from 60 to 85 minute in games.

Of all the thoughts the managers have in their heads before the game, I would think this video is way down the list. It just makes fun of the whole situation. If they had thought that we did something really immoral and disgraceful, then they would not have made fun of it. Doubt it has any effect on the game. Two teams who want to win just as much before and after this was released.

Bolton might be in the market for a goalkeeper in Jan...

Just back from injury, so it was not clear before the match if he was ready to start, or if he was coming on from the bench. So in no way out of the team, just not 100% ready to start. Still possible they might consider selling him in January, but he might have played some good games in the CL by then, and therefore have a different price and class of clubs chasing him.

I actually felt a chill down my spine watching the "explosive" reaction that happens a fraction (or two, or three or four) too late, and it makes the clip look like it has been edited, but no - that is indeed vintage Baz. I am so happy I don't have to watch him ever again in a Saints shirt!