Silvio Dante

That’s what I’m expecting - although I can see Vyner replacing Atkinson. In a bizarre way, although I feel we have been short in CM, the bodies we have and how we set up now mean we’re overstocked. I’d prefer Scott in that three, but for the team he’s better at RWB when we have Han-Noah, Matty and Andy available as opposed to dropping one of those and moving Vyner to RWB

I’ve never heard of this incident where a fan was dragged in by Gary Johnson! I’m assuming said fan was so chastised he stopped posting nonsense from that point on….

More news from Gregor McGregorface on this…. Two young fans sat on his car, swore, and were moved on by stewards(allegedly)

…for comments made after QPR. Expected, but still a joke.

Reading the EP article, I may be naive, but I’m still not that concerned at this stage. When he was chief executive of Surrey, Gould often used the media as a means to put pressure on the ECB. This is what he’s doing here - he’s laying out a damaging but plausible scenario of the majority of clubs having huge losses and breaching FFP, and then pointing out that in turn would kill the integrity of the competition due to those losses arising from an “act of God” as opposed to mismanagement (although there is a degree - cough - Ashton, it’s not the main factor here). The line about taking the deduction vs selling players is an iteration of that we can’t undermine the competitiveness of clubs following Covid. Basically, it’s a push article to set the ground for either a major allowance for Covid related losses (as noted, our concerts/conferences is actually the big hit), or reform. As all bar the parachute clubs will be impacted to some degree, there will be a rally behind this - it’s just we’re first over the hill and laying the groundwork

Yesterday, I think it was Blackburn who played their #2 on the basis that they could not be sure that the #1 would not go down with COVID at any stage. I’d guess something similar here - there was probably no intent to play Wiles-Richards but it was to have him involved in the match day squad (I know he already joins in the warm up) in case he is needed for real, either on the bench or starting, of which the chances are higher than normal currently

This tournament could get interesting. AFCON rules are that if 11 of the squad are available, the game must be played. And it doesn’t matter if there are no goalkeepers in that 11. Already, teams are suffering from Covid related absences - Senegal had to leave six at home and a further three (including Fam) are now in isolation. With the spread of Omicron it’s not unfeasible to see there being a lot of forfeits or very odd lineups!

With Sky not having the FA cup rights, I can quite easily see this being on TV now. It’s not the most glamorous game but it’ll be the highest ranking one they can show…so don’t bank on it being Saturday 3pm

I like the look of that side. Martin at RB has the engine to get up and down and the pace to cope with any counters.

I think you only have to go back to this seasons game with Luton where Tom Lockyer was given boatloads for 90 minutes, including the above. It’s naive to think it doesn’t happen. However, what I would say is that most of our fan base now won’t have a clue, outside of 1-2 exceptions (Clarke Harris for example) who’s been playing for them for the last few years, as they are at that lower level - which with it brings a huge turnover of players. So it does, or will, become less prevalent as players who have played for them don’t often reach this level post Rovers, and if they do, Rovers are a blip on the CV.

I think George Nurse already suggested that.

I said this the other day - Antoine has a touch of the Reid’s about him since he came back in. Not the goals (yet), but the physicality, the strength, the energy and the press. The latters the most important - what he’s brought is pressure on defenders and giving them no chance to relax. That in turn forces mistakes, playing backwards and gets us higher up the pitch. I think he’s making a real difference.

From my vantage (Dolman centre top tier), Vyner probably doesn’t do a huge amount wrong. Could be closer, but my thought was “stand, don’t dive in” which is what he did. The cross itself was excellent quality and was one which a keeper would have to gamble on - whipped, pace, corridor of uncertainty. I wouldn’t blame Max for not coming for it, it’s one where damned if do, damned if don’t. It’s Towlers error for me. He’s a yard off Bradshaw and enables a free header. Find it hard to fault Max for any of the four goals so far, although I think the term “Anti-Maxxer” is genius.

I’m requesting royalties on this one from now on!

Just seen mate, seems we were typing at the same time and felt it had to be brought to attention. Mods - please merge

After Benik scored the penalty he went to first celebrate, then stopped and held his hands up to apologise. So far, so against old club celebration. However, after the Millwall throng had cleared, he went to his knees and pointed to the heavens. We all know what happened when he was here and what that celebration meant. And the fact that, despite us conceding, a good number of city fans applauded him after it is something we should all be proud of. Some things are, and always will be, more important than football

Last season, when we played the kids, it was through necessity. Now it’s through choice - whether that’s because they’ve improved or because others have lost form. To me, that’s a huge positive.

Tends to be Keith Deller

All Anderson aren’t we?

Good Golly Miss Molly and Boats… On the 1,2,3… 1. Scott. I don’t think we realise how good he is. He’s 18, will end the season in the England set up with a minimum 5 goals and 5 assists and c40 games. I’m sticking my neck out - those numbers, those stats, at that age, at that level, in a lower half championship team will glean prem interest. I’m not talking Josh to Burnley, or Webster to Brighton. I’m talking Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs. To those teams, £20m+ on a player like that with the growth level is nothing. I’m cheerful because he’s here, but I’m equally cheerful because he could wipe out any accounting deficits at a stroke. He’s that good. 2.Semenyo. Last night, one name came into my mind - Bobby Reid. Antoine, since coming back in, seems a different player. He’s pace. He’s power. He’s hard running. He’s gone up a level. All he needs is the finishing, and I think that’s in him. 3. I understand that Ian Gay has lost his voice. Hopefully it only lasts for 2-3 years ….Jump back in the alley and nanny goats..

I think we all knew this but it’s pretty stark. Do we run out of steam? Retreat into our shell? Not use subs well enough? Get figured out by other managers? Its not just late goals that explain this. Definite food for thought.

My only question here is this - have we ever had him and him not been incompetent to the extent of seeming corrupt? I remember the above games clearly, and if the only three times we’ve had him are those two and last night, the club should be at least making a complaint to the FA. However, if we’ve had him on a few other occasions and he’s been “fine” it just may be that he’s prone to a crap game and we’re unlucky.

I think the one that rankles is the yellow card for dissent. That’s a yellow that should never happen, particularly from an experienced pro. As for the second yellow, I think it showed King up a touch for sharpness/speed in the first part (he had the ball, but got it nicked away), but once that had happened, it was a foul I’d expect most players to make - they had players on the break and if the foul isn’t made, it’d be a very threatening scenario. It’s what most of us would describe as a “good foul”, it’s just that the wrong player, as he was already on a yellow, that made it. So bizarrely, I can kind of understand the second yellow more than the first. I’d want my players to make that foul in that position 99 times out of 100 so his instinct was to do that.

There’s a lot to unpack here: - Can you get half eaten chicken bones? You surely eat the meat and leave the bones. Are we looking for some kind of freak who munches on bones and foregoes the flesh? - If it was the car behind Chicken George, then he must have got out before CG returned, making the mocking of his driving skills a disgrace (otherwise CG would just have waited) - Most importantly, it seems like CG is intending not to clean his windscreen before the next home game. That feels a touch extreme, and can only lead to more damage. I think we can all agree though, that whoever did it is a clucking disgrace..

That’s who I’d go for. The only other blonde one on the committee was my old dear and it definitely wasn’t her!