Scummer

Don't know if you've seen any of the articles recently talking about Brentford's B team (they don't have an academy and pick up a lot of rejects from other academies and non league). My nephew was there for 6 months last season so I paid them quite a bit of attention. They regularly had half a dozen trialists in their line up, don't even play in a league (just friendlies), and they are getting glowing reports. I don't think a big turnover of players is necessarily a problem, and could be looked at as a positive if players are moving up to the first team. Losing heavily every week can't be good for anyone though...

They've been letting in plenty with him in the team as well, if he gets in the first team we're in big trouble

Surprised there has not been more discussion of this. Ogbonna went down, ref stops play for a head injury but the player them receives treatment for cramp/leg injury. Followed by the strangest drop ball situation I've ever seen. Did the ref realise he'd made a mistake and just make up a completely new way of restarting the game to try and make it up to us? I was expecting West Ham to pass it all the way back to our keeper, not some strange uncontested drop ball where their players had to stay 6 yards away until we played the ball.....

😉

Interesting tweet from Saints just now about JWP's career with the club. Didn't look like the kind of thing you'd release of a player was about to leave, in fact it was more like a contract extension piece.

I had an interesting discussion at the weekend with a player of the same age who has played against him a number of times (including last season). Let's just say I'm not getting my hopes up that he's anywhere near first team ready...

If you are going to loan out for a season, a 3 year contract is the first duration that makes sense. One year world be totally pointless, two years and they return with only a year remaining and you're back in Ings/Vestergaard territory. 3 years is the minimum to give you any security

Has that ever been confirmed?

I just clicked the ones it enabled me to, the system is rubbish. Might be a problem if they are checking ID but they have had months to get this sorted

When you play a lower league team they are often up for it at the start. Their boyish excitement at playing a big team fades after a while and that's when quality tells. Was similar when we played plucky Portsmouth last season.

I was going to say the same thing. I think Leicester won the header for every single one of our corners. Such a waste.

VAR looked at the offside earlier in the move, which they would only ever do if they've decided it was handball. So it seems they were going to give it, then changed their mind for some reason. It would be very helpful for fans if they came out and gave their reasoning in situations like this.

Is that a serious question, or are you just being pedantic? https://equalityhumanrights.com/en/race-report-statistics

I take it you boycott games around remembrance Sunday then? Also, it's not political to feel that black people deserve the same rights and treatment as white people.

Would it actually matter if it did? It takes about 5 seconds

I'm surprised no one has picked up on the main similarity to the Villa game, that is Bednarek getting injured. He probably should have gone off yesterday, he was clearly struggling and in pain. Presumably the Villa experience made Ralph stick with him this time, but it was a turning point for me.

Exactly. Adrian obviously thought it was a goal scoring opportunity or he wouldn't have done what he did.

Typical English mentality to big him up into a world beater after half a decent season. I lose count of how many big new 'stars' who everyone has forgotten about a year later. I'm not convinced, he might be good but I'm not getting carried away yet.

Going to Sorrento in a couple of months. Did you hire a car (guessing not if you went on a bus trip down the coast)? Assuming you didn't, did you get a bus from Naples airport to Sorrento? How was that?

Who was he arguing with on the touchline? That was before the red card came out, presumably someone did or said something that Ryan didn't like?

I was going to say the same, but with Toby instead of Fonte.

Players on loan can't play against their parent club.

It shouldn't come as any surprise. When Judy Finnegan tried to make the point a few months ago that there are varying degrees of rape, people threatened to rape her daughter......

Manchester United have just signed Victor Valdes, means Anders Lindegaard is likely to leave. Worth a shout?

Which is interesting really. Would you rather a convicted rapist was employed in a role where he was surrounded by men, and the main part of his work was in clear view of thousands of people. Or a plumber, who is in your house alone with your wife?