bluebruce

Definitely a smash and grab. Dolan (I'm a fan) had a very poor game and needs to step his game up. He's capable of much more, despite what some fans claim. Pears (I'm not really a fan) did well today, good stop near the end. Travis and Wharton both looked off the pace second half. Travis looked tired, Wharton's usual clinical, rapid reading of the game often deserted him and landed him in trouble at times. Hedges was fairly anonymous but scored a terrific goal that will be in our goal of the season competition. Gally can be frustrating but he definitely injected energy and impetus that we were lacking at that time. Unlucky not to get an assist in the buildup to the goal. Don't think Szmodics was quite at it at times either, not that he was poor, just that he can be better and on another day puts that chance away. Today I think the players I tend to prefer underperformed a bit, and ones I'm less keen on came through for us. Don't think we were value for any more than a point, but those are the games you need to win to compete. Points are all that matter.

A sensible team over there would just spend a lot less money on a greater number of less glamorous players, from leagues like the Championship, Allvenskan, Tippeligaen, Serie B, etc. Probably also the Turkish Super Lig where players are more likely to be suited to the culture (and therefore make less extortionate demands, especially now there are some superstars in Saudi to make the league a bit less of a joke). Then you'd have a solid overall team who could probably dispatch the imbalanced sides with a couple of superstars and various part timers for the rest of the squad. But of course, it's not about winning, or building sensibly, it's about vanity.

And since he said people, probably Khadra and/or Steele.

I think it was fair enough to be worried about him after 2 seasons with a goal a season. He isn't 19 anymore, if he does that at Villarreal he'll be a flop.

Oh he's not injury prone. Chaddy said we could ignore the Plymouth fans who said he was, so it must be a coincidence that he took ages to get match fit and now is out injured.

Because he hasn't done well in his first game? Pretty impatient of them. I remember Dack didn't have a great start to life here.

Never understood this argument. A striker is meant to score goals, but you still give them praise when they do it. Footballers are supposed to win games, but you don't just shrug your shoulders and say 'that's what they're meant to do' when they do it.

I'm willing to bet if it was a male player, he wouldn't have done it.

Did he? Looked to me like he chose not to move at all...

Yes, he did make a couple of decent stops. I think it's harsh to call him a schoolboy, and he's capable enough as a deputy for me (if we haven't inflated his wage too much in that last deal), but he simply isn't consistently good enough at this stage of his career to be our number one week in week out. Some people just don't notice it because he isn't making glaring mega blunders anymore, other than positionally.

Well Wharton didn't when he got pushed over and tripped in the box.

Congratulations? Doesn't make you right. If you think that second goal is totally fine from Pears, you have very low standards.

The replays of the goal here certainly do though. He took far too long to correct his position when the player moved inside. He then didn't fucking move for the shot. Connelly could have put that almost anywhere and scored. First goal is one that could potentially be saved by a good goalkeeper too.

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Central League Cup that our 'reserves' are going to be participating in this season. We're in a group with Accy, Burnley, Preston and Wrexham. There are 4 groups, with 18 teams participating, all of them reserves. I believe we're two time winners of this (64/65 and 66/67), but haven't played in it for some time? At least not so far as I can recall hearing. Accy are the current holders. Looks like our first game is against them.

Another shit handball call there. Ping it up at her upper arm from point blank range, impossible to evade, free kick. Meanwhile a couple of very obvious fouls against us haven't been given in the last 10 or so.

Total horseshit, arms swing out when you change direction of motion. All happens in a split second too. There's no intent. But I'm not gonna keep arguing it, to each their own. I don't remember the last time I saw a keeper stay on their line for a penalty, or where no attackers ran into the area before it was taken for that matter.

Love Earps' reaction to saving that. Wasn't a good penalty, you rarely see them caught.

I really wouldn't. Point blank range, no time to react, natural movement of the arm. One of the worst penalty calls I've seen this year.

Never a penalty. Has to swing her arm out to change momentum.

Scored 3 goals.

18 times.

If the Saudis think football can be worth the investments they're making, I'd say they're being foolish. The money in football all swirls one way - into the pockets of agents and players. World Cups are expensive, and the tourism boons are short-lived and outweighed by the costs. You also have a country where people don't drink - one of the big economic benefits of World Cups etc over here. They absolutely do need to diversify their economy from oil, and tourism can be a contributor, but I think they need to box a lot smarter than relying on football and sport. Neom isn't sounding like it's going to deliver on its initial promise either, could prove to be one of the most expensive follies of all time.

Pure speculation, from a poster who is usually highly averse to speculation.

He didn't need to, because his statement was still unequivocally true.

I've started a petition to have you banned from attending games.