Wow! If that's true, the whole organisation is in trouble. I'm trying to work out the maths/statistical odds, but it's surely impossible that a ref at his level would 'accidently' not be allocated to a Liverpool game for almost 4 years.

You would also hope that cases that had already been adjourned several times would be prioritised on the list order. But then, I have no idea of the history of the first 71. But if number 31 was only lodged months ago, and we're at 72, would be a pretty stupid system.

Can't prove he's high, particularly from so many year ago. And drinking is legal in his downtime, no rule against that. And I have known people that literally 'blackout' after a handful of drinks, and can never remember what happened during a night out we had. Oh my, I feel like I'm writing a defence for him. Just saying, unless the bloke(s) in the video surface to add more context, I could envisage a good lawyer fighting an unfair dismissal claim. He doesn't say anything about his views influencing referee decisions. Just that he thinks they're ****'s.

Quite the defence this: Call me a cynic, but if guidelines for dismissal are worded somewhere along the lines of "...is found to have intentionally brought the organisation into disrepute" Then, if you don't remember, and blacked out, then it wasn't intentional right. So pay me a big fat cheque to get rid of me please. If you're career's done anyway, guaranteed you try to weasel every penny you can. Legal fight upcoming? Would just drag it out and add more shame on the PGMOL. Which is why they probably would cut a cheque. Football, the only industry where if you lose, you still win.

Can he give Gueye some lessons

Might actually suit him this game on the break.

If that's the case we're definitely relegation fodder. Next 20 mins will tell us a lot.

That says direct FK though. The players 10 yards back, the taker definitely shooting towards goal. Our was a yard away and the ball going away from goal. Not a different scenario that can interpreted differently?

Not a line that makes me want to laud him. I understand the surrounding circumstances, but still, not a ringing endorsement is it.

I'll join you in the boring camp. Better than the frothing at the mouth rage camp of some recent seasons. We feel like steady eddies atm, solid and functional, without really excelling. I'll take it for now. It we'd been dull steady eddies from Jan onwards those 2 years we were up top end of the league, we would have coasted into the playoffs. Probably with a lot of confidence that we were difficult to beat.

Obviously not, I'm not sat at home for Nations League matches with a George's cross painted on my face and bunting up. But it could be an important step towards progression, particularly with the new manager in situ next year. I don't know the timelines, but IF we get promoted I think we'll be playing some of the big European teams in the run up to the next World Cup. If we don't, we'll still be against this current lot. Which is better practice for the battle of the top level International tournament including the likes of Brazil and Argentina. Not playing against Finland and Ireland, that's for sure. We need bigger tests for the manager to cut his teeth.

I'll go against the grain, and say it's way better than the old pointless friendlies. The relegation/promotion format has added some jeopardy. To win a trophy, we have to play the best teams regularly, and learn how to beat them. Spain, Italy, Germany, France etc. We now need to get promoted to get back to playing those teams. So, there's actually quite a lot riding on the next few matches. Particularly against Greece. Give me this over the mind numbing crap you used to have against Lichtenstein with 8-10 substitutions in the 2nd half. That was a complete farce. Don't think the Nations League gets the credit it deserves. It helps some of the smaller Countries qualify for Tournaments. It's not perfect, but at least they tried to do something to increase the competitiveness of the international calendar.

Happy with that. Nothing against Carsley but when he first got the gig I thought he'd be a shoe in for permanent position. And it didn't fill me with optimism.

And then crash and burn, pretty fast. It's a familiar story isn't it. Just realised I got that wrong, it was FA Cup for Redknapp with Portsmouth. Getting confused with Spurs League Cup win that year, which was Juande Ramos. And didn't Harry pretty much bankrupt them to get that trophy. Says it all. English managers have an awful record.

Heard on radio today last English manager to win a major trophy was Harry Redknapp in 2008. And that was just the League Cup. Awful record for homegrown managers in the supposed top league in World.