BUTOR

Government wanting no part of the ‘backlash’ either way?

As this thread shows, the ‘backlash’ would be much greater if they cancel the games. And the government and royal family evidently couldn’t give a toss. So we’re relying on the EFL’s famous backbone. Already made up their minds. Why is taking them so long?

It’s utter shite. So much for the ‘stiff upper lip’ of the British. Go to work, cry in a darkened living room at the weekend, go back to work.

Fitting for the death of a dictator though.

I don’t mean to be disrespectful but I’m certainly not in mourning, I don’t think you can enforce an emotional state as profound as that onto people and stop them living their lives.

Would Marshall vs Shields have to bite the bullet if Liz is dead? Very frustrating for the boxers if so… Would be doubly bizarre for Shields

I automatically assumed so but having looked it up the answer is nobody actually knows what the plans have in store in that regard. Football went ahead after King George died in 1952, and although sporting fixtures were cancelled after Princess Dianna’s death measures were subsequently found to be far too extreme. The answer though is probably yes. I hope not. The show must go on.

Will the game be cancelled Saturday?

Or just maybe he’d prefer to play for Scotland and England isn’t the centre of the universe…

They’ll be gutted to have conceded that goal late on as we defended really well besides that. Great win though.

Semenyo now and we bury this.

That move signified everything that’s improved about us this season but, truthfully, that’s terrible from Wells.

Come on Andi, better than that

Despite Nige’s mantra I would have liked to see a couple of changes/fresher legs, schedules are brutal these days and I don’t think we played particularly well on Wednesday to warrant it. We’ll see.

If Semenyo continues his form until the WC, then goes on to have a decent tournament (notching a couple of goals) then we will be looking at upwards of 20m in my opinion. And so we should, Prem clubs having proved they aren’t shy of spending this summer and by the looks of the opening month there will be plenty in crisis come January. At that point it may be better to sell, although a player like AS is never directly replaceable 20m+ in the hands of NP would be beneficial in the long run. I may be wrong but so I don’t believe one player alone, with a patchy injury record, will make the difference between going all the way and just falling short.

Paul Weller was okay on Wednesday. Maybe refereeing performances are finally changing, man

You could feel a lift of excitement that spread through the stadium when he picked up the ball. Whenever he has it near the box and a slither of space the ball really could end up in the goal at any given point. Thrilling player

I feel like we would be much better served with Naismith on the left hand side of the three centre backs and a proper central defender, who can also play out from the back, sitting in the middle/sweeper role. Might have to be an upgrade we make in another window.

Bamba starts

It’s MLB inspired crap to be fair. Coat of arms any day.

I mean it is a bit of a consolation…

Pearson says 30 million or no sale. Obviously highballing a little, but they will have to offer serious money to tempt us and it will have to be early enough for us to find a replacement. My gut feeling is nothing happens.

I don’t think we are unique in this league. Every team is something of a basket case. Even in consistency and form, eg. Preston drawing four/five games 0-0, Forest coming from rock bottom to win the play offs… you have to take the rough with the smooth in the championship. We kept two clean sheets and appeared to have sorted our defensive/mental fragilities completely in the last couple of games, today we shipped three and looked all over the shop. That’s this league. There will be similar patterns with every team. Also Bloomfield road is a tough place to implement our type of identity at and we managed it. That’s a really positive step.

Let’s not forget Blackpool’s part in this. They did the same to Burnley last weekend. Your classic resilient, workmanlike team who will never say die. Not every team will be so hard to knock the stuffing out of. And if we were to play them in two weeks time without the exceptional Bowler we win that game.

Cardiff were wasteful but let’s be honest could have scored a couple with the space they had around our box. Game just confirms where we are, top 6 attack bottom half defence.