Red-Robbo

Presumably this "85% correct" stat includes decisions like turning up at the right ground and remembering to pack his kit etc etc...

That is so sad to hear. Gone far too soon and at a terrible time of year for family and friends to endure such a tragedy. RIP fellow Red. We're all part of the big City family and you'll be missed.

It's a great Tweet and it acknowledges that what gets the crowd vocal and out of their seats is attacking football - although of course, we appreciate great defending, superb saves and a pinpoint pass, nothing creates a roar in the stadium like a frontrunner making yards, beating defenders and either finishing with a decent shot or making a lovely cross to a team-mate in an even better position. It's clear that breakaway attacks will always yield more goals than the slow, steady build-ups, because the former catch defenders out-of-position and up-field. We saw how the introduction of the more direct Nakhi Wells allowed us to leave a ponderous and sterile passing game on Friday for something much more threatening to Hull. At Championship level particularly, most players are more capable of old-style centre forward heroics than they are of building up tiki-taka scoring opportinities.

His sly smile at our support when he got up after trying and failing to get a free kick in the first half would back that assessment up, Gray. Tidy player mind, if he forgets the theatrics.

Hull fans are blaming their goalies, but I'd say the difference was that we - as the managerial cliche always puts it - dug deep and just outfought them. They were a skillful side and well-drilled. Most of their players had very good touch on the ball and combined for some slick interplay, but collectively Hull sat back for far too long after their (ludicrous) penalty and paid the price for lack of desire. We simply wanted the win more.

His second half performance was the Mehmeti most of us knew was in there, but we had yet to see. And you just saw the confidence grow in him after that goal. He went full tilt to try to get his second. Semenyo is a player who took a while to get off the mark, but then just stepped up for us and became very important.

Totally agree. He was pretty damn flawless and made some really critical tackles.

Should be a victory with him on board.

F- that shit! It's the worse thing about Christmas: well, that, sprouts and Cliff sodding Richard.

And in black type on red, not white on red which as any fule kno is about the least readable colour combination for script.

I must be in a minority because I like sport but have always thought QOS is shyte. About as funny as a fire in an orphanage.

Didn't specify which division though....

If he could just cut down the unnecesaary and counter-productive substitutions we'd give ourselves a much better chabce of winning games.

You have to have been in the Army to have appreciated how true this is. There're some guys who are much more fluent in jargon than English in it.

This is the sort of English up with which I will not put....

One thing you've gotta say about Ipswich, is - Ashton or no Ashton - they punch above their weight. A town that's the 42nd largest in the UK - and that's when you include neighbouring communities like Woodbridge, actually a town in its own right. Ipswich proper is smaller than Bath and other then prostitute murders is really only known for its football heritage. They were non-league until 1938, but by 1960 Ramsay had them in the top tier. It's quite a story, for a small-town club.

Ditto, except mine are signed by Des Williams! Sadly, I don't think I'll ever be able to mount a takeover bid.

Erm, Gary Neville, Phil Neal, TA-A, that's before you get to the likes of Thuram, Lahm, Cafu etc.

Thanks for the report. For reasons I won't bore people with, I could neither watch or listen to this one, so this fan perspective is much more valuable than the OS report or stuff on other media. BTW what sort of name is Delano Burgzorg!!! Sounds like a minor character from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

No, but he's got a point. It means gates about 80% up or more on the period immediately preceding it, and away trips to places like Elland Road and the Stadium of Light, rather than the Broadhall Way or the New Meadow. Consistent second tier football has allowed the infrastructure to expand and improve. It's just the Lansdowns haven't a clue how to make that final step to achieve their ultimate stated goals.

I think that's the key: Ashton + weak management = overspends & bloated squad; Ashton + competent management = success

At one time it looked like he wasn't. He lacked the confidence to shoot, although everyone could see the skills he did possess. Got a couple of goals, the first a rather lucky one taking advantage of a goalie howler, and he was up and running - confidence flooded into the guy and we all know the rest. With Bell at present, I feel he's a guy who doesn't create his own chances but is adept at burying chances that are presented to him by a strike partner. This is why he worked well with the unselfish Nakhi Wells but is not so good with TC who likes to take the shot himself. A Bell-Conway front pairing didn't work well for Nigel Pearson and he changed things around, so not sure why Manning thinks it'll work for him. As you say, Bell's game will improve and expand, but for now, we haven't really got a strike force to be feared.

Yeah, they never played the national anthem at my graduation so I think it's a bit of anachronism that they still did until this year at Bristol. Personally, I think GSK should be used like when Americans play Hail To The Chief: ie. only at events where the King or at least a senior Royal is present.

Never mind wearing a helmet, the bloke sounds like a bit of a hemet!

Mick Jones as well. And he was in a band called London SS. Of course, early punks weren't Nazis, but just adopted stuff like that for pure shock value. See also Joy Division/New Order