Green

Brings back memories of a poor stage in our PL history. In what seems like a relatively short period of time we went from CBs such as Fonte, Alderweireld and VVD to Lyanco.

We’re going to have three weeks of Portsmyths in the build-up. Wonder if they’ll come up with any new ones?

They've updated their training facilities as well, looks really good. The media never seem to mention that they broke the rules when they got promotion, they got a small fine, no points deductions and no constant going on and on about it every time they played.

Hull getting to 58% of our 24/25 season total points tally in 3 games.

I don’t know how serious the links were but some discussion about how we could have appointed Howe in the first summer of SR when we held on to Hasenhuttl, delaying the sacking before getting Jones on board. Also linked when we appointed Adkins

Edward’s arrived with lots of people telling us he was a great prospect. He didn’t play much at all in the first season before his loan, where he got lots of plaudits, came back to us and I can’t recall a decent game, although he was played out of position a few times. Then he left permanently, I only saw him in the QPR game against us when the decision to sell him seemed to be the correct one but now he’s more than doubled his transfer fee. Where are people seeing his talent/potential?

Siege mentality needed next year, including us fans, right the wrongs on the football pitch, keep Tonda because he’s the best manager we’ve had since Ralph, no more glorious failure, focus on winning games.

Presumably this benefits the big clubs more then? And there must be loopholes aplenty to exploit this?

One of the few (only) players who did better under Still??

Frankie Bennett has form against Chelsea, I’d “tip” him to make a bigger impact in the final, so bench for City and then Chelsea in the final to open the scoring.

He will be unbearable if they win, which makes this a must win game.

Yes that was most annoying, such a good team but no trophy to show for it. From Pochettino's perspective, it helped to get a higher league finish and this put him in the frame to get better jobs in the future (and he discovered that he could communicate to the fans of those clubs in English as well), rather than potentially finish lower in the league and lose in the quarter or semi-final.

We were 2-0 up against Chelsea under Mark Hughes in 2018 and managed to do what West Ham have just done and lose 3-2.

At least with the midweek game, it means less time for all of their Portsmyths to get an airing. Wonder how many times we will hear of: - the mythical strike breakers - how they sent us down in 2005 - the list is endless

I will never forgive the shambles of 2005, in a season of lows we put in the most pitiful performance. I refused to attend Lundekvam’s testimonial because of how pathetic he was here. Niemi had fallen a long way, as had a number of others who had been in the FA Cup final just two years beforehand and Europe the season afterwards. Crouch crying off in the warm-up. Redknapp waving. Makes me sick thinking about that game. The next time we met, we lost by the same score line but the performance was the complete opposite. We actually gave them a good game in the FA Cup, if it wasn’t for David James’ heroics we would have taken the lead. That Lambert goal brought some noise in St Mary’s that day and the score line flattered them. We pushed forward and they brought on a sub who they’d somehow managed to sign despite bankrupting a few charities and local businesses along the way. A bit of 2010 spirit mixed with some Ings 2019 finishing is very wishful thinking.