benjii

You won't get in without ID if you get checked.

There's a grotty little bar right next to the San Siro. There's not much else round there. And there won't be many good places in Milan centre for watching football either, I'm afraid.

I expect you will have absolutely no problem buying a ticket with British ID details - either online or in one of the outlets in Italy. The issue will be whether or not you are checked at the gate and whether or not they enforce the "no Brits" in the home section rule.

I think Friday would probably be a more interesting day to go to Jerusalem. Sat will be quieter because of Shabbat. I'm just not sure about the prospect of getting up at 6am the day after the match! How are you getting back to TA after the match? I wish this apocryphal club bus would be confirmed!

Waffle.

I'll be at a loose end Fri night and, possibly, Sat so that sounds good to me too. Allenby has quite a few bars and whatnot, I think, (I think it's one of the main nightlife streets) and the crossing with Ha-Yarkon is right near the sea front so that sounds like a pretty good spot for a couple!

I'm interested this season - primarily because of the Europa League. I really hope we can make it out of the group to keep the second half of the season interesting. Obviously a domestic cup run would also help. If I was a West Ham fan about now, I'd probably be pretty fed up. I had a ST when I was a kid, stopped when I went away to uni, and started again once I had a job and could afford to get one. I have to say though, I'm probably a 50/50 to renew next year. If we make it to Europe again I will and if Boufal turns out to be brilliant I probably will. I know that sounds a bit glory-hunter-esque but frankly, that's not it; it's more about a connection, about having something to feel proud of. It's apparent that any really good player we have will leave after about 2 seasons, maybe 3 if we're lucky. That really helps to stunt the emotional investment in the club that I built up when I watched Dodd, Benali, LeTissier in the early 90s and when I watched Morgan, Fonte, Lallana, KD etc. rise up the leagues. I still enjoy going to matches but sometimes I feel like a bit of a sucker for writing-off Saturday afternoons unquestioningly.

Paddy Power appears to have us as 9th favourites to win the competition at 25/1.

Yeah, I've seen a few tours that depart from Tel Aviv and include one-way travel (or return at a higher premium). I think the Sheruts still run on Sat between TA and Jerusalem though and are cheap, even with Shabbat premium, so it's possible to come back whenever without being stuck to a tour timetable. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/travel/tourist-tip-of-the-day/how-to-take-inter-city-shared-taxis-between-jerusalem-and-tel-aviv-1.503944 If anyone fancies making the trip with me then drop me a line!

PS. I'm definitely staying in TA on Fri and Sat and will try to do a tour to Jerusalem on the Sat, I expect. Seems a shame to go all that way and not have a look. I'm flying back Sun afternoon.

I've got cancellable hotels in Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva on the Thursday, pending a decision on that! If the club runs transport back to TA I will probably do that and I know some people have already organised their own min-buses back. It sounds as though the majority are planning to head back to TA. I guess TA is a safer bet for a big night out after the match, if that's what you fancy. Hopefully most of us can congregate in a bar somewhere!

That sounds sensible! Didn't realise it was that cheap. I'm staying near the north end of Allenby Street, near the beach. Looks like the train stations aren't too far away so I may do that as well then. I see there is a big station upgrade programme going on involving a bunch of closures which is supposed to finish on 27 Sept. It looks like HaHagana station is remaining open anyway so all should be fine.

Couple of pints pre-take off should calm the nerves Are you heading into Tel Aviv on landing? I haven't really looked into logistics of getting to hotel from airport yet but we could share a taxi perhaps. Send me a DM if you might be keen. Same for Shroppie if he needs come into TA to travel onwards. It looks like a taxi from the airport to downtown TA is about £30, depending on the amount of luggage (and traffic, of course).

Right, me too! Just booked it!

I meant Luton on the Weds - not sure why I said Tuesday! Are you on the 12:25 or the earlier one? I

All my friends have wimped out / have good reasons not to go. I'm planning on flying from Luton on Tuesday and back on Sunday. Maybe do a day trip to Jerusalem on the Sat. Anyone else planning anything similar?

I'm happy enough if Martina and Targett start. Cedric has been pretty poor this season so it shouldn't make much difference anyway and there's no point making Bertrand play 3 times in 8 days after an injury. Other than that, I think we should play whatever Puel thinks the strongest team is.

Can't for the life of me understand why we didn't sign a striker. Long - good squad player but so clumsy on the ball sometimes. Austin - unfit? Lazy? Just a bit crap? Rodriguez - knackered? Redmond - never been a striker before. * * * That's a pretty poor show really. I'm not one of the "spend money" whingers but it's an obvious weakness in the squad.

That volley was class but, unusually, he's also missed two good opportunities. Yet, despite him having three good chances, United are lucky to be in the match. It's a funny old game.

I wonder if the striker role in non-possession is an interim thing. Ie. an abundance of caution from Puel. Is this what his strikers did last season? Once the midfield and defence and more comfortable with the shape in defence, I wonder if the strikers will be given more freedom to stay in more central positions? It could be an evolutionary thing. Either way, it's interesting but also a bit frustrating!

I've never been a fan of the Club Unified Non-overspending Treaty (Fairplay Loss Adjusting Protocol).

Assuming it's the usual system, I would like to see Long and Rodriguez start upfront with Redmond in the "10" for this one. Not sure Tadic will see much of the ball if he starts and Redmond will get us further up the pitch more quickly. It may turn out that Rodriguez is way off the pace still but let's find out in a "free-hit" sort of match that ought, in theory, to suit his strengths more than Austin's. Giving him 15 mins here and there won't show us too much and I don't think anyone would disagree that, when fully fit, he's our best striker. I'm assuming Boufal isn't ready to start. Hopefully Bertrand is back too.

European Regulations have direct effect. They don't need UK implementing legislation. If we leave the EU those Regulations will cease to be UK law unless parliament passes an Act to replicate them. Directives do not have direct legal effect and require implementing legislation. That legislation will remain law after Brexit unless repealed. So, "do nothing" does not equal "status quo". Parliament could perhaps pass an Act that takes a blanket approach of rendering all EU Regulations automatically applicable in the UK but is that really something that would get passed? Parliament would have to vote to pass the Act, which would effectively be a direct rebuttal of the referendum result, even if only intended as a temporary measure. It's just kicking the problem into the long-grass. As others have said, it's going to be a bugger to sort!

I just hope the qualifying criteria for Beer Sheva away drop quickly after this week if there are lots of tickets left. I want to go and accommodation is sorted but if I can't buy a match ticket until one week before then flights could get difficult. It will be a shame if we don't sell out and there are people who would've gone if the tickets were available sooner (ie. me). I've got an ST and a few aways so I don't think I really ought to be kept holding on until the last minute for a game in the Middle East. If you're reading this, Saints, then please drop the criteria quickly after the end of this week! Thanks.

So is anyone else planning on heading out in Be'er Sheva after the match? Seems a shame to bomb it straight back to Tel Aviv. My plan was Be'er Sheva Thurs night and Tel Aviv night out on the Friday.