robin_unreliant

Good job King came on to see it out. Did he touch the ball? Genuine question as I never heard the sky commentator mention him after he came on.

So pedestrian when we have the ball, no real movement up front and no apparent game plan. How we aren't losing I really can't fathom.

Thanks for proving me wrong (and -maybe- right) Nige ?

Nobody posting a serious 11 seems to include King. So I predict he's a nailed on starter for Nige, who does seem to have his favourites, despite what he says. Would like to see HNM moved central for AK and Scott given a start myself

Blackpool lost 0-2 at home. Maybe they ARE that bad.

It will be interesting to see the comments after today's game. I'm a bit concerned that with CM up front on his own and no real pace in midfield we could really struggle away from AG. You can't argue with the stat quoted by Gregor. We don't create or score many goals. It feels like the set-up we saw last weekend could improve our home results but not convinced about it working against a team that dominates possession at their own ground. If we don't play NW and struggle today then the cry to get him and TK playing will increase. Perhaps this is just Gregor focusing on a topic because he knows it is already being debated by supporters.

I feel sorry for Janneh. Scores two goals and a good penalty and his team-mates ruin it for him. Should have been a great night for him.

What about the striker he left on the bench?

I'm guessing stubbing out your fag on a young player's eye just doesn't reach the bar set for violence at their club.

I don't think what I'm saying is rocket science but maybe it wasn't clear. Once everyone who is going to has been double-jabbed, there is less need for a passport. It makes more sense to restrict the crowd to vaccinated people when a third still haven't been done. Delaying it because you don't want to discriminate against those who haven't had chance yet is illogical. It means you lose the beneficial effects now and bring it in when the benefit is marginal. I realise it is just a lever to get more people to get jabbed but this is just the wrong way to go imo.

I'm wondering about the Blackpool game as already have tickets. HMG are saying large events may need a passport arrangement but only from September. This seems crazy, bonkers, whatever word you want to insert for illogical. I can see there may be a reason now when 66% are fully jabbed. By end Sept it will probably be 85-90%. So why have all the hassle of a check starting then when the population have pretty much all got the best protection they are ever gonna get from covid? Surely more logical to require it now and stop once the vaccine rollout finishes. The only reason for announcing it seems to be to bounce young people into getting a jab. What a cowardly way to do it, causing chaos to businesses. If they want everyone to be jabbed then politicians should have the balls to mandate it rather than create chaos for businesses.

What a ridiculous situation. Can you imagine the Prem not being decided by the 38 game season? Just makes rugby look a bit mickey mouse to me. They are transparently chasing the money raised by the end of season play off format. Football has gone the same way for promotion but at least retained the concept of league champions. I really can't see the point in rugby league games if you don't win the league. Yet another reason to not watch rugby ?

Wouldn't be a shock would it. This is our typical trajectory, followed by relegation. Let's hope Nige still has it.

Maybe. I will be interested to see whether Walsh signs a new contract. Having a good season in L1 might leave a player feeling they'd be better off elsewhere. That has been my feeling with LW since his Coventry loan.

Can't be bothered to type it again. Pleased for him - hope he goes on to prove you wrong many many times in future.

Wrongwrongwrongwrongwrongwrong.

It's times like this when I miss the old aubergine.

Joking aside, I think the lack of a crowd has had a big impact on my enjoyment of the games. Obviously our poor form is the main thing but it just seems so boring on TV with no fans in the ground. Hope this is the start of gradually getting back to 'normal' football.

Yeah I was shouting for a pen at the time. It didn't look quite so blatant on the slomo replay though.

Hmmmmmmmm. Let's hope there is a robust chain of evidence check in place for these tests....

I agree that you can look at this from different angles. It should be a free choice for the individual player, based on their circumstances, as to whether they take part in games to end the season. I take the view that this choice to not return to work should mean they get no salary - or maybe the £2,500 per month that everyone else gets when furloughed. What a few seem to want is a right not to play and still receive a very good salary. Possibly deferred, possibly with a 20-30% reduction, but still a great deal of money to stay at home. Some will say this is right and proper as their employer has a duty to ensure their safety at work and in the absence of that they are entitled to be paid. I don't agree with this but can see it is a reasonable argument.

The fact they are very well paid means they can afford to set up arrangements to live comfortably away from their family without suffering financial hardship. Ordinary employees couldn't afford to do that. For a limited time to finish this season it doesn't seem unreasonable. I'm sure clubs will end up paying for it anyway.

To finish this season will take a few weeks. Whether it is fair to start a new season in the same circumstances is a good question.

Look - there are lots of nhs frontline staff who have VOLUNTARILY moved out of their family home, stayed at a hotel, and carried on working. Meanwhile, footballers on mega money are worried they will bring the virus home. That is totally within their own control. They stay way from their family for the period it takes to play the games, wait 2 weeks after it finishes, then go home. Protecting their family is not a valid reason not to re-start. They are unlikely to be personally seriously affected as they are young and fit. NHS workers on low wages have carried on working while protecting their family. Footballers on millions/year are not prepared to do the same? Fine - opt out and donate your salary to a charity if you can't face being isolated from family for a few weeks.

My dad is 84 and has COPD and other risk factors and thankfully is fine. Covid19 has only taken out a small proportion of that part of the population so far. The fact there are two different infections will double the chances that he might get one or other of them this winter. So it is quite possible that there will be a surge in deaths from both flu and covid19 at the same time.