ExiledAjax

I'm expecting Reading to fade back to mid-table. -2 goal difference (-0.25 per game) is a hell of an anomaly for a team in second place. They're getting narrow wins and hammered in their losses. In general that's not a recipe for a sustainable promotion charge.

Living in Leicestershire means I'm meeting quite a few Foxes fans at the moment. Generally I get told/asked something along the lines of "Pearson is doing well with you isn't he? Did you know he laid the groundwork for our PL win? You've got a good guy at the helm there. Nah wouldn't want him back though as those days are gone?" Then I ask who they'd like and I'd say the majority say they want the bloke managing their adversary today: Potter. Just my anecdotal evidence.

And now I'm sat watching Chelsea v West Ham on MOTD. Both in home kits. Completely shit for those with colour blindness. West Hams third kit might make it look like they've had toilet issues, but at least it would properly clash with Chelsea's home kit.

Ah **** just seen what Preston's away kit is. And the third kit is black and red stripes a la Bournemouth home. So that cannot be worn. Guess it's either going to be out home kit v their home kit or our home kit v this away shite green* monstrosity. Ideally we stick our third kit on at home and make a statement. *Is it green? It might be yellow tbf.

I've not criticised the guy himself though. Others have, but I don't think he's been lazy or disinterested. My issue is that he shouldn't be here in the first place, and I think that for his cost we could do better. You're correct that this is not his fault. He's playing, and he's playing well. The £ are on the pitch. Maybe I should STFU and be happy about that. However, I hope we never again sign someone as a top earner, who costs us £2m a season, and then have to wait 2 seasons to finally figure out how to get him performing.

Yes I thought the same as I watched the highlights. Interestingly the regulations have changed this year. In previous years there was a requirement that "When away from home a Club shall play in a registered kit which is clearly distinguishable (shirt, shorts and socks) from those of their opponents. This requirement shall apply strictly in respect of shirts and socks. Where both Clubs request to play in the same, or similar, coloured shorts then an application to do so shall be made to the appointed match referee whose consent shall not be unreasonably withheld." Basically, you cannot wear the same coloured shorts unless the Referee allows it. They also removed the guidance that states "Clubs are required to resolve any potential clash in advance of match day. Match Officials should ensure they find the playing kits of both teams acceptable." The above wording is not present in the 2022/23 regulations. There seems to be nothing that explicitly prevents this. However, the guidance in the Regulations is still that "When considering selection of colours of shirts / socks, Clubs should have regard to the guidance issued by the Football Association on helping those affected by colour blindness, a copy of which is available on the EFL SharePoint site accessed via the Club Portal system." Honestly, I assumed we would play in the third kit yesterday, had I know we were going to wear the home kit I would have let the club know that was a bad idea. This is one that has slipped through the net. Sorry you had issues @Tinmans Love Child

Have just watched the highlights. Scott is key to all 3 goals. Wonderful break out through close control deep in our own half for the first. An incisive, perfectly placed and weighted pass to Wells for the second. And he takes the freekick to deliver the ball for the third. Honestly if you just watched that 9 minutes I'm not sure you'd say he's a project.

I don't see the contradiction personally. He was overrated by Mark Ashton, and by some of our fans. Overrated doesn't always mean a bad player, it's a relative term. Apologies for the rant, like most of us I've had a drink or two. And likewise, all the best, and honest to god I hope Wells gets 30 goals this season.

Yes, and as I say, that means his signing at that time was not the sensible thing. However, that can be true simultaneously as the OP's following point is true. But, personally, I don't think it's worth signing a player at a cost of nearly £2m a season because at some point we might be able to use him. Love his goals today though, the first was delightful. Viva Nahki.

Thank you for the compliment. It is reciprocated with interest. I guess my point is that when we signed him he was expensive, a poor fit for the team at the time, and in my opinion it was a status thing for Ashton to get the guy who'd scored 13 in 5 months* and was the talk of the town. He came here touted as the "20 goal a season" star.** He's been paid a reported 20k(ish) a week, and has cost us £800k a year in amortisation, so that's an approximate total cost of about £1.85m per year. The fact he's just about coming good now, after we've changed half the squad that he joined, paired him with a guy who was in nappies when we signed him, and is under a new manager, coaching staff, and CEO. That's what tells me his signing, at the time it was done, was ridiculous. So yeh he's been overrated for the best part of two years. And yeh he's the definitive symbol of Ashton's mess. I'd happily have sold him last month, and used that last year of wages and amortisation to replace him with two players. *Or whatever it was exactly. **Despite never achieving that in his career.

Oh conversations are happening. Undoubtedly. Scott does feel like a Spurs signing...is he a Conte signing? I'd be worried, I feel like Spurs have been a bit of a graveyard for young talent. Rodon springs to mind, Sessegnon is playing a bit now but has he really done what he'd have hoped? Anyway, for us, this season, so long as we loan back or just agree for the summer, we should be ok.

I maintain that his signing was unnecessary, profligate, kneejerk, and made for the wrong reasons. He's hit form, and that's good, I'm delighted for him and us. However, for his wages and amortisation cost we could have had two players of Championship quality in the side for the past two years. If we are playing to his strengths now then it's because we now have the other players to allow us to do that. When he signed we weren't doing that, and couldn't, so therefore the signing remains open to ridicule. For me he will always be the overrated symbol of the Ashton age.

I think we'd have to hope we could do something like what Fulham and Liverpool did with Carvalho. Agree a fee, agree exclusivity, but we get his services until June 2023.

Relegation I think often comes with a begrudging feeling of resignation. It begins to feel inevitable, and so one simply accepts it ahead of time. It's still crap, but you shrug and say "well we are crap." Messing up a good thing is the opposite. You feel good, you're enjoying life...but it could come crashing down. It's the threat of losing something so good and so rare. That's very different to a relegation season. That's the difference for me.

Ok. No penalty. But that was a silly thing to say. Still 2-3.

Owers: "they've torn Blackburn to shreds". Things you love to hear.

Just listening today. Sounds like we're playing lovely, dangerous football. Looking forward to the highlights of that half!

If I had to put money on it (I won't but if I did) I'd go the other way actually. As others have noted Blackburn have scored only 7 goals so far. The xG and shots data is equally fairly low. Ours is very good. On paper - which football is not played upon - we win. 2-3 away win. I'm also going to say something truly ridiculous - I think we will be awarded a penalty.

Nope. I suspect both teams will score today. We score goals. They have a good attack versus our slightly unpredictable defence.

I was at Exeter Uni whilst Stansfield Sr played for Exeter. Saw them and him a few times, including his final season. He was loved, and is still so loved. In more recent years I went to a Fulham v Exeter league cup game with some uni mates. The Exeter fans sang his song for about 20 minutes straight. This will be an emotional time for everyone at that excellent club.

It is because the Bristol South End (formed 1894) lineage is deemed to be the primary line. When the merger happened in 1900 it was Southville/Bedminster merging into Bristol City (as South End had been renamed in 1897) even though we've ended up playing at Bedminster's ground. That's why the Club go for 1894 rather than 1897 or 1887. I would agree with you that it would be nice to acknowledge the 1887 Southville/Bedminster lineage a little more, but I can also see the argument that to do so could muddy the waters a little. The Club have struggled enough already with the 1894/1897 debate.

If Bournemouth are allowed a black third kit, then surely we're allowed a different shade of 'red' on ours. I've got strong opinions on kit colours and design, but a red home kit, white away, and yellow/claret third is fine. We'd be able to competently counter any kit I can think of with that.

I like the 1892-1898 kit. As a third kit that would be gorgeous imo. If we had the traditional red home kit, a white/black away, and then that as the occasional third kit I think that would be pretty good and acceptable to most.

Looking back I plumped for 11th in @Nogbad the Bad Mildly Interesting Prediction thread. I probably still think we'll be there or thereabouts. Thus I think most, if not all of our seven opponents so far will be above us. The old adage of judge after 10 games comes to mind. Our next 3 are Blackburn, Preston and Norwich. Maybe we can extend it to 11 this season to include Burnley. That will give us a truer idea off our current standard. The most accurate prediction of them all.

I'm saying my third nicest pair of pants are worth £15m plus performance based add-ons. Clean sheets are the main metric.