Dark Munster

No, since 8th still won't qualify, and never will (by finishing 8th). It would still be 5 CL + 2 EL, since no EL qualifier loses out with the reduction from 3 EL to 2 EL if Leicester qualify for the CL next season. The only way to get 5 CL + 3 EL is if the extra CL qualifier (e.g. a Leicester) wouldn't otherwise qualify for EL, and the winners of both the League cup and FA cup also wouldn't otherwise qualify for EL/CL. For example, if we had won the league cup, Boro the FA cup, and Leicester the CL. Then us, Boro and 5th would get into the EL, and Leicester + top 4 into CL.

Apart from making saves, everything else.

Yes some other country gets an extra spot I think, or maybe bumped up in the qualifying round.

It is converted from EL to CL. In other words the PL doesn't gain an extra European spot. The only exception is if a team qualifies for the CL but wouldn't otherwise qualify for EL or CL, and also the winners of the FA and League cups wouldn't otherwise qualify for EL or CL. For example, if Leicester win the CL and Boro win the FA cup, we'd have 5 CL and 3 EL places if we had won the League cup.

If Man Utd get the 5th CL spot by winning EL, and finish in an EL spot, then the PL loses a EL spot. i.e. it goes from 4 CL + 3 EL to 5 CL + 2 EL. So 8th won't qualify anyway.

Or more simply, we're playing better now that Les finally brought in a striker who can finish. And we'll stop leaking goals once our new CB settles in (and hopefully VVD gets fit). It's Occam's razor, innit?

He's new, let's see if he is allowed to continue to do it. Even if it's a 1% chance of injuring a knee, is it worth it?

Some clubs are hotter on fitness details than others it seems (Leicester come to mind). I wonder how many of them do knee slide celebrations? We're often near the top (in a bad way) of the injury table http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php If I remember correctly, Austin did the risky knee slide at the beginning, but cut it out. Hopefully Gabbi will find some other celebration. Although taking his todger out may result in more than a yellow.

Am I the only one who winces when this happens? If I were the coach I'd have a quiet word. I'd even accept something naff like Sturridge's celebrations.

The introduction of Gabbiadini is the cake itself.

The only misguided person was Les Reed for not getting in a clinical striker last summer. And a CB during the latest window.

This, and this. And don't forget the rotation slagging off. Apparently Puel has finally learned his lesson not to make massive changes. Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that we are now playing just one match over one or two weeks, as opposed to a game every 3 or 4 days.

Any injury updates?

All revolving around having (at last) a striker who is clinical.

For most of the season we've struggled for goals, and what does he do? He leaves out our one clinical striker (Gabbi) for every single match. Finally the stubborn bastard decides to play him, we are now scoring goals for fun. So what does he do now? He leaves out both our first choice CBs, replacing them with Yoshi and a kid, and we now are leaking goals left right and centre. Puel out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wasn't that Yoshi?

I think you'll find the two are not unrelated.

Finally CP has a striker who can finish, as many of us have been clamouring for all season.

F See me after school.

Tadic and Redmond were excellent.

Have to agree.

Yes you're right, you both entitled to your opinions on this. As does Puel.

No it's not, most times it's pretty conclusive in replays. It would only be applied automatically to major decisions (offside goals, penalties), which are few and far between. Throw in a couple of video challenges allowed per team, and you'd have just a few stoppages per match, which would be decided in seconds by a 4th official in a studio. Negligible time spent compared to free kicks, throw ins, and prima donnas rolling around on the ground. Time for the dinosaurs to admit that video technology is needed in our game.

If it's any comfort it could've been worse. If the score had been 2-2 at full-time, and we lost in extra time (or penalties) we could claim that the decision cost us the cup (well ignoring the butterfly effect, anyway). As it is, the disallowed goal cost us extra time, which may or may not have gone our way.

Yes, that's what I've been saying all along. A clinical finisher in the side lifts the whole team. Except for Forster.