"They don't like it up 'em?"

Don't know why we bother looking at this thread, (I'm as guilty as the next person) reading about players we are allegedly "monitoring" or "interested in" or "in a race for" who we subsequently don't go on to sign. Don't expect anything to happen until after the Court hearing on August 20th but even if we get a favourable outcome then I expect the narrative will be that "we tried our best" but didn't have time to get our targets in before the window closed ten days later.

Would you rule out Poccetino on that basis then? He's the only other person I can think of I'd really want other than Klopp and Guardiola who probably wouldn't want it anyway.

I agree completely - we SHOULD all out for Klopp and offer him an open cheque. It's extremely rare anyone of that calibre becomes available and it's an opportunity we shouldn't ignore. The FA won't though, they'll play safe and go for Howe Potter or heaven forbid Carsley locking in another good few years of hurt.

Tongue in cheek......... but says it all.

Gav knows that quite well, he 's just being mischievous.

Again spot on.

100%. Spot on.

Taxi for Southgate. We've been dire all tournament and played two (first) halves against Serbia and Holland.

Dykes is rubbish - Gallagher Mark 2. That would be a very depressing thought, not that we'd be able to afford him I don't suppose.

Sam Matter face is the worst for me. Seems to think he's really amusing and everyone's best mate. Brian Moore was probably one of my favourites. Sometimes less is more. Or Moore.

With respect, I think you're splitting hairs. City can go out and buy the best players in the Country, Southgate can pick the best players in the Country. You have to judge him relative to the quality of the players available to him at the time.

It's not exactly the same, but it's roughly comparable. You can only be judged on the quality of players at your disposal. If you have the best or one of the best squad of players at your disposal as we have had over the last few years, you should be going deep into competitions and winning the odd one.

If he loses both, no. If Guardiola had won nothing at Citeh, would you consider him a success on a par with Alex Ferguson?

The accompanying advertising for this bright pink offering reads "Be brave, be bold be Blackburn". Surely no-one is naive enough to think there is not an attempt to send a message out with this kit.

This is spot on as well. All that said we're down to a sudden death game, we have an extremely talented squad of players, and as the old cliche goes "Anything can happen in a one off game". As with previous tournaments it may come down to fine margins and a lot will probably depend on how proactive Southgate is and how good his in game management is on the night.

Absolutely spot on.

Whilst I usually like pink clothing I don't like this strip - in combination with the gist of the advertising it's a rather cack handed attempt at being Woke. A definite no from me. Will stick to the home shirt - if We've any left that is.

Reading upside downs explanation of the NOC I thought exactly the same. Waggott glibly claiming that future Court Hearings should be a formality as "a precedent" had been set by a transfer of funds being allowed once and various other Club statements since insinuating that the financial issues were close to resolution are misleading at best and a downright lie at worst. Maybe as someone (Wilesden Rover?) suggested these positive noises are for the benefit of our Creditors as much as anyone else.

CHOOSING not to ''cos of the bond. Thanks.

Good to see you're still coming out with the comedy belters. As for saying Southgate should stay on that is ridiculously premature in advance of tomorrow night's game. He's won nothing at senior level ever and so far has blown great chances against Croatia in the World Cup and Italy in the last Euros. If we win Sunday night congratulations to him, he'll have proved me wrong that we'd never win anything with him in charge and I guess the FA would give him the option to stay on for the World Cup but for me he should be replaced either way, things have gone very stale this tournament albeit We've lucked our way to this stage. If we lose again then there should be no question whatsoever he should be replaced - that will be three tournaments wasted with a very good squad who were capable of winning them had the right man been at the helm.

I know the answers to one and three but am not sure I've seen a definitive answer as to whether they're choosing not to fund us or are not allowed unless I've missed it?

Absolutely. No way that was a penalty in a million years. Southgate must have a lucky horseshoe wedged a mile up his backside after Bellingham's worldie with 80 seconds to go against Slovakia and that penalty decision last night. Better to be a lucky manager than a good one? Let's hope our insanely good luck lasts for one more game. Imo we could do with changing Kane and Rice who I thought were both very disappointing last night but he probably won't change anything so we'll just have to hope for the best and that the players pull us out of the mire with a couple of individual moments like they've been doing all tournament.

My word. Prize for most ridiculous post ever made on this forum goes to............ Gave me a good laugh anyway. A glittering career in comedy awaits you.

What rubbish. We've completely fluked it to this stage, in the process winning only one game out of five against teams way below us in the rankings. The criticism aimed at Southgate has been fairly constructive in the main based on tactics and the way We've played. I've not seen any personal abuse of the sort aimed at the likes of Graham Taylor yet conversely Southgate however has turned into a right mard arse making out you're not allowed to criticise him and the players. If we'd played well and reached this stage everyone would have been falling over themselves to say how brilliant he was. I don't suppose he'd have been complaining then.