o'neil's salubrious playground of the dorset uber wealthy v howe's scally infested coop of decapitated fowl

[Alex 30891]

I remember that (and the away trips he ran). 

[Monkeys Fist 39211]

I used to pick Keith up regularly when I was taxiing. 
Sorted me out with bus seats a few times. 
 

Lovely bloke, glad to hear he’s back. 

[NJS 4021]

Went to Kyiv with his trip - I wouldn't have been able to nanny a bunch of idiots like he did - couple of lads wanted to kick off on the plane home till he calmed them down. 

[PaddockLad 14962]

32 minutes ago, Monkeys Fist said:

I used to pick Keith up regularly when I was taxiing. 
Sorted me out with bus seats a few times. 
 

Lovely bloke, glad to hear he’s back. 

You might not recognise him now, he looks like Gandalf 🤣

Edited February 12, 2023 by PaddockLad

[Monkeys Fist 39211]

2 minutes ago, PaddockLad said:

He might not recognise him now, he looks like Gandalf 🤣

So do I 

[Alex 30891]

Was it Sonatine who called William Storey Gandaft? 😂

[Monkeys Fist 39211]

I think I might have that dubious honour tbh. 
 

Tbf, it was on a plate 

[Renton 18143]

1 hour ago, Alex said:

We signed a player for £40m. It’s not a missed chance if other targets weren’t available. People go on like you just make a bid for someone and the other club let’s them go just like that. It doesn’t work like that. We’ve made huge strides and are living with legacy of being a zombie club for over a decade. We’re hampered by ffp because our revenue is a joke. We’re performing way above expectations. 

 

Of course this is true and if I think rationally the club have done everything the right way so far. But I don't watch football to be rational. Also got to say I think a lot of the problem psychologically with me and I suspect many others is related to our fairly recent past, ehich has bred defeatism and disappointment. Losing the league in 1996 was crushing but most thought we'd win it in the following years. We didn't. Same with Robson. Another near miss will breed paranoia despite the wealth of our owners.

 

That's why I think the cup is so important. Get this monkey off our back and the psychological boost for the club and fans especially will be massive. Both for this season but going forward. As fans I doubt many of us are confident. But the failures of the past shouldn't affect the players or coaching staff, they've had a clean break from this. So actually my head says we are 50-50  assuming we have a full squad, and remembering they will have just played Barcelona. 

[Gemmill 35838]

Man United have three games after today before the final. We've got one. 

 

That's got to be a massive advantage even with their better squad. 

[Renton 18143]

I like Rashford but a timely injury the weekend after next please. 🙏

[Dougle 2916]

1 hour ago, Gemmill said:

Man United have three games after today before the final. We've got one. 

 

That's got to be a massive advantage even with their better squad. 

 

Is it though?

We looked better playing more regularly.

[wykikitoon 17171]

16 minutes ago, Dougle said:

 

Is it though?

 

We looked better playing more regularly.

 

Due to our poor strength in depth we haven't had any opportunity to rotate and we look tired for it. 

[Isegrim 8961]

21 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Due to our poor strength in depth we haven't had any opportunity to rotate and we look tired for it. 

I don’t think we look physically tired but mentally or rather not focused tbh

[Isegrim 8961]

The only good thing about playing Liverpool next weekend is that they are playing against Real a couple of days later. As the CL is their only hope to win a trophy this season as well as probably qualify for next season’s CL their mind is hopefully on a different competition too.

[Renton 18143]

51 minutes ago, Isegrim said:

The only good thing about playing Liverpool next weekend is that they are playing against Real a couple of days later. As the CL is their only hope to win a trophy this season as well as probably qualify for next season’s CL their mind is hopefully on a different competition too.

 

I might be wrong but personally I think of lots of good reasons to play them. Mainly because they're absolute dogshit midtable and SJP will be absolutely bouncing, a cauldron of hate full of pissed up pissed off fans. If this doesn't get the players up for it, nothing will. 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Renton

[Alex 30891]

4 hours ago, Renton said:

 

Of course this is true and if I think rationally the club have done everything the right way so far. But I don't watch football to be rational. Also got to say I think a lot of the problem psychologically with me and I suspect many others is related to our fairly recent past, ehich has bred defeatism and disappointment. Losing the league in 1996 was crushing but most thought we'd win it in the following years. We didn't. Same with Robson. Another near miss will breed paranoia despite the wealth of our owners.

 

That's why I think the cup is so important. Get this monkey off our back and the psychological boost for the club and fans especially will be massive. Both for this season but going forward. As fans I doubt many of us are confident. But the failures of the past shouldn't affect the players or coaching staff, they've had a clean break from this. So actually my head says we are 50-50  assuming we have a full squad, and remembering they will have just played Barcelona. 

Getting the first trophy would be massive for all sorts of reasons. 
What I really taking issue with was the assumption the club made a conscious decision not to get someone like Maddison in last month (not you but it does seem to be what sone fans think). It’s far more likely he wasn’t available (like Gordon in the summer). I know people will think letting Wood and Shelvey go without direct replacements was a risk. But not taking the opportunity to get rid was maybe a bigger risk to the long / medium term plan. I.e. being saddled with them and it preventing getting as many players in come the summer. Especially given the latter’s extension clause. I know what you mean about fabs not being rational but it’s the job of the people running the club to take a more objective view  

[Surreymag 71]

It’s been a great season so far and we are now in a blip. So are Arsenal supposedly and look where they are. As others have said we don’t have enough strength in depth as yet. I do think this will change. Also Bruno makes a massive difference and he is back for the final. Next week against Liverpool will be interesting especially bearing in mind we were robbed at Anfield.

[Dr Gloom 20210]

36 minutes ago, Alex said:

Getting the first trophy would be massive for all sorts of reasons. 
What I really taking issue with was the assumption the club made a conscious decision not to get someone like Maddison in last month (not you but it does seem to be what sone fans think). It’s far more likely he wasn’t available (like Gordon in the summer). I know people will think letting Wood and Shelvey go without direct replacements was a risk. But not taking the opportunity to get rid was maybe a bigger risk to the long / medium term plan. I.e. being saddled with them and it preventing getting as many players in come the summer. Especially given the latter’s extension clause. I know what you mean about fabs not being rational but it’s the job of the people running the club to take a more objective view  

It sounds like the club didn’t actually want to get rid of Shelvey but he was pushing for the move to secure his final payday so they let him go. 

[Dr Gloom 20210]

Just now, Surreymag said:

It’s been a great season so far and we are now in a blip. So are Arsenal supposedly and look where they are. As others have said we don’t have enough strength in depth as yet. I do think this will change. Also Bruno makes a massive difference and he is back for the final. Next week against Liverpool will be interesting especially bearing in mind we were robbed at Anfield.

I want to beat the scousers almost as much as I want to win the cup final.
 

And not because it keeps them further away from the top 4 (though that’s an added bonus).

 

I want to stuff them because we were absolutely robbed of a point - we were unlucky not to win even - when we went to anfield at the start of the season. Plus their fans are some of the worst going and their manager is an obnoxious, smug, arrogant arsehole with ridiculous novelty teeth. 
 

[Dougle 2916]

3 hours ago, wykikitoon said:

Due to our poor strength in depth we haven't had any opportunity to rotate and we look tired for it. 

 

Is that really the case tho? We only started Isak because Wilson was knacked. Gordon got on the pitch early because of a Willock injury. Maxi has been fit enough to start for weeks.

Eddie likes to start the same bunch and when that status quo is challenged then we seem to go to bits. It concerns me that even if we did have more quality to the squad we would still look disjointed whenever changes were forced by injury or suspensions. Just look at the Sheff Wed match. Our squad may not be the best but the quality of players should surely be able to handle that level of oppo.

[Ayatollah Hermione 12908]

As much as I slagged Maxi last week, the kid needs a run of games. After all the time he’s missed/sat on the bench, it’s unfair to expect him to just burst back into life. If he gets himself back up to speed, he could be the difference while we struggle elsewhere on the pitch.

[Dr Gloom 20210]

15 minutes ago, Ayatollah Hermione said:

As much as I slagged Maxi last week, the kid needs a run of games. After all the time he’s missed/sat on the bench, it’s unfair to expect him to just burst back into life. If he gets himself back up to speed, he could be the difference while we struggle elsewhere on the pitch.

The squad is so small, we’re going to need him. Gordon can’t play in the cup final so giving maxi these games in the build up makes total sense 

[Howay 12496]

If we’re depending on him we’ve already lost tbh. 

[wykikitoon 17171]

Whilst I agree with have no option but to use him. Especially with Bruno out. In the final if we have everyone fit he is not in the starting 11.

 

He's lazy and not the world magician he thinks he is and what some people thinks he is. 

 

It's been talked and talked on here about playing to his strengths. But what's that? He did a couple of runs across their box, head down and not looking and it ended up in absolutely fuck all. He labour's too much. Walks, has fuck all zip and energy about him. 

 

He wasn't the worse from the bits and bats I saw of the game certainly. But you would think he would be busting his bollocks to impress and show Eddie why he should be starting. Especially with a final coming up. But he just doesn't seem to care about it. 

[Christmas Tree 4005]

9 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Whilst I agree with have no option but to use him. Especially with Bruno out. In the final if we have everyone fit he is not in the starting 11.

 

He's lazy and not the world magician he thinks he is and what some people thinks he is. 

 

It's been talked and talked on here about playing to his strengths. But what's that? He did a couple of runs across their box, head down and not looking and it ended up in absolutely fuck all. He labour's too much. Walks, has fuck all zip and energy about him. 

 

He wasn't the worse from the bits and bats I saw of the game certainly. But you would think he would be busting his bollocks to impress and show Eddie why he should be starting. Especially with a final coming up. But he just doesn't seem to care about it. 

But apart from create the goal, what else did the Romans….