The Bard

There's not much difference between a top 10 and a top 18 squad. A few last minute goals. Literally. Weird how these classifications are used. the Championship consists of the top 6 and genuine play off contenders. At the bottom those seriously endangered by relegation. In the middle a big blob of mediocrity. We are very much in that blob and it really doesn't mean much whether we're towards the top of the blob or the bottom. It's still the blob.

Is that quote on camera? Love to see the look on his face as he said that.

He was leaving when Pearson was appointed. Hung around for a bit, took credit for the HPC then went on gardening leave and started to plan for Ipswich. I do hope you're just being facetious?

He probably made the phone call and showed him round. The decision was not his. He would've chosen someone who would've made him look good in comparison.

Nige knows what he's doing. He's dealing with a family like the Leicester owners (Don't expect me to spell their name). He's probably perfectly adept at relating with his owner about the mishaps of their respective sons..

You're probably right and they need to back the **** off frankly. This is their mess that is being cleared up and if they truly think that it matters finishing 12th rather than 16th then they have learned nothing over the last 6 years.

Spot on. That is how the relationship should be. I don't know if JL really knows what he said or was trying to say. He's probably too busy trying to remove his foot from his mouth

I imagine James Piercy likes having Nigel to rut antlers with. A reflection of his management technique. Challenges people to be better. Clearly lost on Jon...

Well said Nigel. Hard to argue with anything he said there.

This is more a question to the likes of @Davefevs , @Mr Popodopolous and the other FFP nerds from a trainee FFP nerd. Best way to ask it is by presenting an imaginary scenario:- Massengo is sold to Southampton in early June for £10 million on a 4 year deal to with various add ons etc. Brownhill is sold to VIlla for £28 million in August. A profit of £19 million. We had a 20% sell on fee. How would that effect our FFP for 2021/22 and 2022/23? How is the fee for Massengo accounted for? Is it divided in the same way a transfer fee is dealt with as a cost over the length of the deal or is it only included based on when the monies are received? Similarly with the sell on for Brownhill (£3.8 Million) is this accounted for as received?

If we were in Boro's position having just knocked Man U out the Cup and chasing down the top 6 we'd take several 1000 to Barnsley no doubt. Can remember taking loads under Wilson towards the end of the season and that was in League 1.

I like the way we're playing at the moment as it provides half decent games and suits our available players. Trouble with 4 4 2 is we simply don't have decent wide midfield players. No one like Bryan or Brownhill for example. We've got weak wannabees like COD and the other suggested formations always have at least one player shoehorned into a position to make the team seem logical. 4 3 3 would currently involve Vyner at RB (people who suggest Kalas need to put the crackpipe down). If we had 1 or 2 more fit midfielders it would work, but until Williams is able to play every game or James is back, this isn't an option. I see the way we're playing currently as stress testing individuals, especially midfielders and defenders. Long term I can see us changing to 4 4 2 but only once we've bought in 2 realistic long term options either side to augment Benarous and Scott. We will do a lot of business in the summer, especially if Webster or Kelly being sold results in a but more financial freedom or we get good money for Massengo. It will be really interesting seeing where he goes with it. I would be amazed to see any new contracts for COD, Vyner, Kalas, Dasilva or Bentley. The last 4 plus Massengo will be for sale

Are you Chris Martin?

You're 100% right but there are a number of good posters who almost refuse to accept some kind of culpability. Very odd.

I think the 3 ex-Leicester signings happened because he didn't have any trust in the club's 'recruitment department' and so went with what he knew. I suspect things have pushed on a lot further now that certain players have come in and become bona fide first choice and others have fallen by the wayside. I can see a lot more comings and goings this summer.

Jumpers for goalposts, Vicars on bikes going to evensong, Morecombe and Wise. City centre before they concreted it over... Marvellous, isn't it?

He's an asset that we will probably have to sell in the summer. On next year's accounts he is a cost of £500k for his fee and about £750k wages. If we can get a fee of £500k to £1 million and he gets a comparable deal elsewhere, we can go and get an alternative number 1 and save money as well as tying Max down for a few more years. Someone to compete with Max for the number 1 shirt over the next 3 or 4 years. I think Nige has decided Bentley's not worth what we pay, that we can't afford to offer him anything in the region of what he currently gets for a new deal. Maybe the club started negotiating an extension with Bentley's representatives and they were miles apart? It would be best to get as much for him as we can and trust our judgement sourcing a cheaper replacement who will hopefully turn out a better player in the longer term. It's the sort of medium to long term, strategic management we needed as opposed to the haphazard player collection of recent seasons. If Bentley comes back in for the last 10 games or so, it wouldn't surprise me. Allow him to get back to form and get noticed so we can get the best price for him having had a good, long, look at O'Leary.

Referee started off well playing the advantage rule a couple of times but then got steadily worse and worse to Davies esque proportions

I'm baffled as to why people want to change to a back 4. It simply hasn't worked for the players we have. The goals we've conceded recently are down to our inability to do basic things like mark, win the ball in the air, finish chances or keep the ball. We haven't been outmanoeuvred or outthought.

It would be odd to switch to a back 4 for a midweek game. Maximum 2 training sessions to work on it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Klose left out on Wednesday with either Vyner or Cundy starting. Hopefully Williams to start too.

This. Plus AFCON. It forced me to watch a bit of Scottish Football (shudder). Jesus it's absolutely headless.

As a career move it would make sense. Call Woy up and ask if there are any coaching roles etc. Give the usual LJ spiel to owners when he gets the opportunity. Get himself next in line. Heard an interview with Woy the other day talking about mermaids and ships. It was bonkers. He is a classic Short term appointment if ever there was one

Who is 'they'?

Ryan Kent 'playing '

To play against kids..