italian dave

So you’re expecting us to lose? ?

There’s lots: just all for themselves and their own programmes!

That’s because it is…????

Me too! And as City fans we seem to have been at that 'don't really care too much' stage of the season for rather a long time now!! Got to say that I'm having trouble even imagining that scenario! Which makes it quite hard to use it as a 'what if'.......but I think what you're asking is whether it's about length of time. And I'd say yes, that's significant. Using the defender shielding the ball out analogy, I'd say that's often taken too far nowadays and the defender given too much leeway. Clearly they have to get their whole body there (or would you allow them to 'shield' it with a foot alone?!) but yes they are given pretty much as long as they then want. I'd argue there comes a point where that's obstruction, and their principal objective is around stopping the opponent getting to the ball and not around actually controlling the ball. But that's not how it seems to be interpreted nowadays. But going back to the Partey incident. Yes, I'd argue that it being momentary does make it different. For him to have been able to be in that position for any length of time he's got to have had the ball under some sort of control. He's put himself in that position solely because the ball is where it is. And if he's chosen that as the method for controlling it then yes you could argue that he had it under some sort of control. But it was, as you say, momentary. And what I'm struggling with that if a player momentarily sticks their foot, or leg, in between the ball and an opponent, when is that 'shielding' and when is it a trip. Because to me it seems more like the latter! Indeed, seems like the very definition of the latter. To the point where most trips could be defined as 'shielding' Partey style! I won't mention the red card - oops!

?. Yes, and sometimes the way defenders shield it out borders on what would have constituted obstruction in years gone by. But at least they have got themselves into a position where they have their body between the ball and the opponent. That’s the difference. Surely if you’re going to consider that simply getting your foot between the ball and the opponent constitutes ‘possession’ then half the trips that give rise to free kicks are actually legal! Who’d be a referee!!

Why? Shielding the ball? Because I think that, to be entitled to ‘shield the ball’ like that, you’ve got to have control of it, and he didn’t. Otherwise, how do you distinguish between a mistimed tackle and ‘shielding the ball’?! As you say, interesting debate.

On the pitch, he’s still what I remember most vividly about our semi final games against them 5 years ago.

Second that. (until Alex Scott gets there, of course!)

And Battiston headed Schumacher’s foot ? Penalty any day for me! (But only from the right angle view!)

Because his objectives were all about the financial bottom line. I’ve long maintained that part of our problem was that we had two ‘bosses’, one with financial objectives, the other with football objectives, and didn’t align the two effectively. I think what will be interesting next season will be that the conflict between the two becomes much more critical at Championship level. It won’t just be about the cost of bringing in players at that level, as has already been mentioned. I think what will be more significant in the long term will be about outgoing players. At League 1 level (as we know) you can buy proven L1 players relatively cheaply, and unless they are really exceptional you’re unlikely to get big money offers from the really wealthy: Prem clubs or the championship clubs with parachute payments. However, once you’re in the Championship, a proven player at that level could well attract bids from those sorts of clubs. And the prospect of suddenly losing players of the quality of Brownhill or Webster becomes real. For someone whose objectives are all about the financial bottom line that’s too big an opportunity to ignore. Even it it leaves you without a plan B when that player leaves. It would be interesting to get a feel from @Southend Blue as to whether he feels Ashton really wields the power and would be able to do that?

Tiger Feet.....Mud

Albatross. Fleetwood Mac.

Man in a Shed………Nick Drake

Match miles cost them dear!

They’re not very happy about the ‘goal of the season’ nominations either. “Hopeful punts”…..whereas “we have scored some absolute worldies “. I’m beginning to understand why they might feel they have so much in common with the R####s!!

Yep, very impressive. And Jerry is on the shortlist for club employee of the year. I can’t see that’s been announced yet?

Thanks. I’ve got it up now. Good to see Chris Kamara getting a special award. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke. I’ll always remember his recognition of us City fans at Middlesbrough earlier this season…..real class.

Who won player of the season? Josh Brownhill was one of the final shortlist of three.

Could have just merged it with another thread - there’s a ready made one about Boreham Wood(en).

Unlike his spelling….

I had just the same thought yesterday! I haven’t seen a replay, but at the time it didn’t just look easier to score than miss, it looked well nigh impossible to do what he did! If that had been a defender making a desperate clearance knowing he had an incoming forward right behind him then it would have been praised to the skys as an incredible clearance ?? Good shout! And much much later in the game. And cost us big time!

Well, from what I’ve seen, if you think Conway went down easily for ours (and I’m not disagreeing with that) then their guy went down ten times more easily for theirs that was given!

??? Good old Neil: we can’t do that……I’ve never done that…..We’ve done that two games running….

Ha ha….thanks. I suppose there are some benefits to being able to hear f### all ?