jasonb

I have pondered that too and still to this day think we were cheated out of it last time with Lukaku's goal ruled offside because they did not want a Russian owned club winning while Ukraine crisis was happening.

I think we have enough in the squad to beat Villa too, just hope it comes together.

Can't see us beating Liverpool at Anfield even without Salah. They have hit form and been able to bring in a number of youngsters that look good. it is not just Liverpool we play it is also the crowd that influences the ref, I was surprised cards were not issued when they played Norwich. I was there in 92 when we beat them under Souness with a youngish side and it was so close. So we can do it yet not sure we can play well enough for long enough .

On one of the predictions threads I said we would reach a cup final and finish 7th. We finished 12th last season. If under Poch this happens or even better would you still be for replacing him?

This could be a very tricky match as defensively they keep their shape and are good on the counter. Yet they are also mid table. Do we play old man Silva', he may be slowing yet is also good with his head at corners and it might take a set piece to get back into the match.' Sterling has recently also shown he can score with a free kick. I think we will win though probability 55%.

No point in getting rid of players unless we have cover or it is self-defeating. I suspect we are looking at striker options and the cost will then be taken into account on who we let go to 'balance the books'. If say £100m on a striker then would suspect Broja would go for £40m+ and maybe Gallagher for £45m+. Don't see Disasi going before the summer if at all. Later in the summer would expect more movement both in and out, though mainly out,

i would add Petrovic too.

Good material for a spoof song, Don't cry for me Jose Mourinho ala don't cry for me Argentina. We have seen it several times with Mourinho, always builds a strong fan base and then he goes again somewhere else.

We are allegedly making enquiries about Viktor Gokeres of Sporting and Sweden. Sporting not interested at £73m.

Funnily enough I am not against Poch for this season at least . He has made a few strange substitutions and weakened team line ups. On the second it might be the trainers are saying the players need more rest, not sure on how the science works. Petrovic seems a good find, Palmer is a revelation and Poch played him from the start. Nkunku our biggest summer purchase seems a dead duck forcing us to make Broja and Jackson adapt thier games. Enzo - Caicedo - Gallager midfield is not really working though they have all had good moments. The defence barring Petrovic has also been questionable though maybe after having some time together may be showing signs of improvement. FFP is coming home to roost just look at statements from Newcastle and is it possible that Emma H. has read the writing on the wall and decide to move before the post RA period hits the women's team.

This might explain the rumours over selling Gallagher so we had the funds for a striker. Now we have some points we may decide to risk it with alternating Broja and Jackson and investing at the end of the season. Or post finance report-out then go and blow an amount on a new striker

I get the repression angle yet if only they could identify if 95% of bias comes from South Africa and we won't investigate that is fine. At least then we know it is bias.

Perhaps AFCON will throw up a possibility though timing might be awkward.

I see Owen Farrell has decided to not play for England anymore and see it is being reported due to social media abuse. Is this due to the WC where he thought a SA player had racially insulted an ENgland player?

I think Liverpool will win it, no doubt with KDB back it helps City. Was watching Liverpool against someone in the cup and Klopp brings on these youngsters never heard of them yet think just fit instinctively into their model. Will KDB last the season or will injury strike again?

No way around it due to the uncertainty around the club due to RA's situation. Other clubs might have folded.

I've thought that too about the break, 4 days normally good even just 5 days can be too long let alone two weeks........ And then after the break just after Boro we have Villa 3 days later just crazy and bad planning.

If you look at is realistically We went from having two of the best wide backs and a decent back three , we now have one decent CB playing and one decent full back. Palmer was never a replacement for Kova possibly Mount or CHO.

Would imagine they could under certain circumstances get around that and pass on the club obligations to a new owner. Give it a couple of seasons of poor form and watch the legal certainties become grey areas.

Doubt it, his two side shows have probably damaged his chances of bringing in more capital. Would have been nice to hear his ideas though without the restrictions of owners when he was in the job.

Felt some sympathy for Wigan yesterday Utd fouled them on two turnover breaks before the penalty and just a free-kick given. To be fair Wigan fouled one of Utds players and could have been a yellow. Utds striker Hojlund looks like a prospect for how Torres and Morata were for us..........

I'm now thinking 7th and one cup runners up medal and one quarter-finalist and off for the Summer break. Of course I hope for more yet injures are punishing us.

Will be interesting to see if that changes under Post.

The first goal is often important and yesterday I thought Mudryk was the difference. I guess Poch said something to him at HT, for the goal he wins a ball he is not expected to down near the right touchline, perhaps shoulder barges the other chap off the ball and then plays it back to Gusto to cross to Broja to score. Mudryk later crosses to Broja who was unlucky not to score again. Poch shuffles the pack and we romp home now Preston's defence has been broken,

The pundit point on us losing Werner was that we had no-one to stretch the game. Their view was Werner's runs panicked the opposition defence and turned them. This might be why Post. wants him. I don't see his finishing improving.