chinapig

Hard to say after one viewing but they are certainly quick and very good at pressing. Possibly a bit more flexible than Liverpool, they played a false 9 yesterday partly due to missing players, and players were constantly switching positions. Very much about the team not individuals but Wirtz is outstanding and lots of big clubs will be after him. German media think Alonso will stay and wait for the Real Madrid job but we'll see. I'm with you on Tuchel btw.

This is from a poster who seems to be articulate but is still deluded. Why would they need another stand when they can't fill the recently opened bus shelter? And why do they need a 15,000 capacity when their gates are about half that? The owners really need to step up PDQ and deliver at least a new East stand and improve The Quarters. A 15,000 capacity with 10,000 seats should be fine for a while if funds are tight for a complete revamp.

I watched the game and you can certainly see why Xabi Alonso has such a big reputation as a coach. Leverkusen were brilliant, and Tuchel had nothing to offer in response.

Have they called the 'facilities' Championship ready yet?

There was clearly a case for using our subs well given the likely player fatigue but that didn't require a switch to a back 3 and surrendering the initiative. Especially as the first half was probably the best we have played under Liam. It always puzzles me when coaches decide to sit on a lead for an entire half but Liam is obviously keen on a back 3 and I assume we will see a lot more of it. I'm not convinced it suits our players but time will tell.

Of course they can, even if what they say is contradicted by the evidence. It's rather that their case falls down particularly if we have actually seen the evidence with our own eyes, as you describe. But perhaps I'm being pedantic

I'm not sure what is pedantic about facts, which is what Dave stated. Unless you are a fan of George W Bush and his objection to the 'reality based community'.

Only the other day Gary Neville said Ferguson did very little coaching but employed the likes of McClaren and Queiroz to do that. But what does Sir Alex know compared to Jon and Brian eh?

I don't know as this guy Rand Tand was the only one who got to eat.

On a side note, Premier League clubs have voted by 12 to 6 with 2 absentions to tighten the rules on associated party transactions (sponsorships and transfers). One club is rumoured to be threatening legal action. You guessed it, it's Man City.

My abiding memory of the crumbling Ayresome Park was the sign on the outside of the stand that read: RAND TAND EATS. Quite a symbol of the trouble they were in that they couldn't afford to replace the missing letters.

I see Cardiff have settled their claim against Willie McKay but their negligence claim against Nantes goes on. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/08/cardiff-city-emiliano-sala-transfer-willie-mckay-settlement

Apparently using a baked bean tin and a very long piece of string.

Though Come On Eileen came later their first album Searching For The Young Soul Rebels is a classic imo. And who can forget The Nabob of Sob? Well most people actually apart from you, me and Kevin Rowland!

Poor old Johnnie Ray .. ... as in the lyrics of this song? Top post if so. Bravo!

Absolutely. There's plenty of interviewing skills training available (though most interviewers in the media don't seem to have had any). But what BT and JL both need is training for interviewees. That might at least stop them blurting stuff out without thinking like Tinnion did, as you say. It might also have stopped Jon saying this was the first time in 20 years that they knew exactly what they wanted from a head coach, apparently unaware that he was admitting they had been getting it wrong for 20 years! Hard to believe I know but it's just possible though that they would not be up to the job even with training.

A column from Jonathan Wilson that gives more detail on Chelsea's finances (sourced from Swiss Ramble). https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/05/todd-boehlys-chelsea-are-a-1bn-mess It's hard to see how they can avoid sanctions in due course.

But a player too closely associated with Pearson and who, because of his experience and knowledge, is seen as a potential obstacle to one or more of the hierarchy perhaps?

As I understand it a relatively recent law means the Venkys would have to apply for emergency permission to transfer money out of the country. Though I imagine greasing the right palms might help.

No worries, you are not alone!

Your reply seems to be a response to somebody else since it has no bearing on what I actually posted. For the record I have no problem with the latest window but that is not what I wrote about.

Yes, the best squad in 20 years was underperforming because of Nigel and his staff we were told. All that we needed was a progressive young coach to make the most of that top end squad. Now the people who made those claims have written the season off, presumably thinking we will have forgotten what they said. There are all sorts of adjectives that apply to them but for me it boils down to them not being very bright.

Yes it was so obvious at the time that we were lied to when we were told there was no money and we had reached the limit of our wage budget. It's bad enough that they are liars but worse that they think we are so dumb that we will believe their lies.

Do keep up, he joined Bayern Munich on loan.

That was rather my point. I responded to cherry picking by cherry picking alternative games to suit the opposite argument. Picking games and excluding others to suit a narrative, whether positive or negative, invalidates the person's case.