Offside

Red Shoes by the Drugstore - Tom Waits

It was a brilliant night. My kids still talk about it. What an atmosphere.

With Wells, Dasilva and Palmer barely featuring and presumably on high wages they are the ones we need to shift. Weimann is at an age where I don’t think we’d get much for him if we sold him, plus he’s a key player who it would be very difficult to replace. I agree that Massengo is our main asset financially, but I really hope we don’t cash in. His energy in midfield is essential, with James lacking mobility, King needing to be used carefully, Bakinson being inconsistent and Williams in and out through injury.

Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham

We started brightly and got the early goal. Semenyo looked dangerous at first but faded Then we got a boost with the penalty save. But then the same old thing - let them have the ball and stand off. Their goal was coming. They’d not created many chances but found lots of space and always looked like they could open us up. Our passing is dreadful. We opt to play it long quite a lot and when we do we lose the ball every time. We have created a few chances.

Owers had a decent career overall. He didn’t set the world alight for us but he always put a shift in. One abiding memory is when Ward played him at right wing back in one game (not sure against who). He had acres of space but didn’t have the pace to cause any trouble……so it seemed the opposition just let him have that space. I really like him as a pundit on RB, he talks a lot of sense.

I briefly thought about not going (the quality of football has hardly been an incentive) but I’m on my way to the ground. I’m triple jabbed and just as likely to get it from somewhere like the supermarket.

Sad news. RIP John.

The Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

I’m more confident about this game than I have been for ages. It’s a strange feeling! We really do need to find a way to be more controlled if we have a slender lead in the game, especially in the second half.

I’m pretty sure that Big Match theme tune was also used in Flashback for the Fans, hosted by the sublime Roger Malone.

Out of interest, what are the rules the club has to follow about postponing games? As with other games in the last few days a covid outbreak in the squad gives clear grounds for postponement, but can clubs just postpone without ‘valid’ reasons why?

Roll To Me - Del Amitri

True Colours - Cyndi Lauper

I’m in the minority cos I’ve always rated Palmer. I like his ability to pick a pass to open up defences and he has an eye for goal. I never really perceived a lack of work rate on the pitch, but saw it as a lack of defensive or tactical discipline/awareness. I have no idea what his attitude is like off the pitch or in training, but he has failed to impress several managers/coaches now and his City career must surely be over. If I was SL I’d be seething at the money wasted (big fee and wages) on a player who has not featured consistently. A bit like Wells. Signings made with seemingly no thought.

Lullaby - The Cure

I can understand players goading fans in certain games, like if the player has been getting stick or it’s a game with needle. It’s a bit weird when players do it out of the blue, like when the Blackburn player equalised the other week and decided to goad the South Stand just for the sake of it.

Trash - Suede

Excellent point against an in-form team. We came back twice. and scored in injury time. We seem to be getting more resilient.

Sweet Dreams - Patsy Cline

I agree about Semenyo, his pace is something we’ve been sorely lacking. He caused Derby all manner of problems last week.

Seeing as Hull’s form is good I’d happily take a point today. We definitely need to find a way to be more of an attacking threat. If Tanner is fit Scott can be pushed into midfield, and that should hopefully give us some creativity.

I remember as a very young child in the late 1970s going to see Santa in Fairfax House (that massive dept store where the Galleries is now).

Ralph Milne v York (away) in the late 1980s.

No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley and the Wailers