Spiller86

Not convinced he's the right signing but we likely won't get Sancho so good to have alternatives. Jeez we'd have some danger from range with Coutinho and Ziyech shooting from outside the box on either foot. We haven't had that for a long time.

Atletico asked their players to take 70 percent. Players like Saul are organising support for small businesses on top of that. Juve's players led by Chiellini negotiated a big cut too. I think it may well be that individual clubs and players who start to make offers rather than it being a PFA decision.

More links to us again over the past few days. Not much else to do so I've been watching his matches in the Europa League this season. Few things stand out: 1. Crossing is superb. Particularly from set pieces, he is super accurate. Good flat and fast delivery 2. Defensively he is quite aware. Porto are pretty compact without the ball which helps. 3. One thing that surprised me watching him more is that he doesnt seem the quickest. Not slow but not what I you usually expect from a Brazilian fullback.

Yup. As if anyone needed more of a reason to hate Spurs or Liverpool... I hope we don't go down that road. Roman giving the hotel to the NHS suggests he might not be quite as selfish. He also has a visa to try and get back... Can you imagine the frenzy from the press if we were to take that road.

Funny I was watching Chelsea v Liverpool from the last day of 2002-03. I noticed the difference to even then. Now obviously that was a massive game but still. I think that remains a big argument against a whole scale redevelopment like Spuds. Pretty much most of the increase is in the prawn sandwich hospitality seats. That doesn't help the atmosphere at all. Probably makes it worse actually. For me the only argument to making a bigger stadium is to reduce the cost per ticket and get more working class/younger people back at the ground. The Germans have shown that model can work and you can still compete in Europe. I'm really hoping coronavirus kills off the silly transfer fee/wage arms race and actually lets some sanity come back into the game where decisions are made for reasons other than money. I won't hold my breath though...

Too true, it's the worst that the away fans are down there as well. Home support only. Safe standing installed and if you're not loud then go sit somewhere else. Would go a huge way to helping the declining atmosphere too.

Thanks for sharing @kiwi1691 Interesting insights but felt a bit too much of a puff piece from club sources for me. For all the apparent brilliance of that system we've ended up with this squad full of holes despite hundreds of millions being invested. Only our youth have saved us this season. The excusing away of 2017 and Kepa was about where I switched off.

Speaking of money UEFA are suspending FFP for the year. Which is precisely the dumbest idea in the history of this whole ludicrous concept That now signals to those clubs like PSG and City whose oil sheik owners will have been unaffected that they can spend up big and avoid any consequences. Secondly, in a moment where teams may have had to tighten their belts and we could have seen a movement towards lower transfer fees and wages through necessity and the need to meet FFP. We will instead see one or two clubs again keeping the fees and wages high and forcing others to meet them. By all means offer an extenuating circumstances clauses for clubs whose revenues have been hit. But make it conditional, not carte blanche.

For once i agree with the politicians.

Jeez this is spot on re: Liverpool being give the title https://twitter.com/nomifooty/status/1240333617005580289?s=09

It's a hard one. Really someone will sook regardless of the outcome. If they void - Leicester and especially Liverpool will carry on. If they take things as they stand - the teams in the relegation zone plus United, Spurs and Arsenal will all carry on. We qualify for the CL regardless under either situation so I don't mind. I'd like to see some football again before the end of the year but I'd be equally happy if we got away with making the CL while playing our youth and signing noone without consequences. Also gives all our injured players time to get properly fit again.

Interesting point about the sightlines. I always assumed the height restrictions were about right to light for locals. Shed End is probably the place where we could add significant seats. Its the lowest height and smallest stand. Demolishing the hotel and building a big single tier stand there might get us up closer to 50,000. For me that means that we could keep playing while the construction happens as we did when they built the stands in the 90s.

I didn't end up watching our game but watched their second game against Valencia in the group stages. They played a back three with him on the left. Lost 4-1 after leading 1-0 for most of the game. He didn't make a mistake for any of the goals though. I'd say the thing that stood out was the aerial power. Dominated Maxi Gomez. I don't think he lost a header. I dont recall him losing a tackle either. Very solid physically one on one. As always with young players his positioning with regard to the other centre backs could get a bit out of wack. Got drawn out towards the ball a bit. Kept it simple with the ball. But was always in a good positon to recieve it. I'd say he is solid enough. Nothing special but even from that 90min sample size at least at the same level as Zouma. More physically capable than Christensen too.

Still get a bit emotional when Frank steps forward to take that pen.

Yep. Seems like a few clubs interested so could be just agent talk. I'm always excited by the idea of more left footers in the team and he is 10cm taller than Ake so is probably a better fit considering the left footed CBs available. Might review the footage of our game against them given there is no other football to watch...