dmayne7

If yours does that bit at the end, I think it's you that needs a medical, not Adam Hlozek

Given the dearth of midfield options we have, who can actually progress play, the fact he's not first choice in there alongside Winks at the moment is madness (if he's not going to play right back)

No we're not. That's the point. Or at least so all the links say. I guess for either FFP reasons or cashflow.

Would have made mistakes and got things wrong but in ignoring the fact he was actually a businessman (which Top isn't really), his pure ability to inspire people or at least engage with them would have made a huge difference. Of course did benefit from the great people around him but don't forget he employed them and he made good strategic decisions (and still some bad ones); Top basically hasn't made any and just blunder after blunder. Don't think the club would have drifted as it has

Ashley Cole did it about 3 times in one segment...

First year since we've been able to stream most of the friendlies that I've seen next to none of them. Can somebody who isn't utterly hysterical give me a vaguely balanced assessment on how we've played?

Brilliant news. Just the kind we needed. Hope he gets a chance to play or championship loan at worst. Braybrooke next

Only just clocked this is away. So no home friendlies this year? Beautiful

Just can't get excited by this. Loaning a young player from Brighton with no option is just so incredibly uninspiring.

Think the second point is totally valid and my genuine concern. But having picked up a shirt from eBay (so I can't say for sure it was a fake) the quality is pretty much just as good and I think that's the case now outside of Ali Express/DH Gate. In terms of the child labour point, I think most of these come from the same factories as the real thing. No way that Nike, Adidas etc. aren't exploiting people to make these shirts. Now, not saying that makes a fake better as it's likely that the conditions for a fake are worse, but I'd also say there's an argument that it's better that a tiny amount of money goes to dodgy sources that a bucket load to the greedy corporations who have their own shady and exploitative processes. I'd never have considered it before I bought that England shirt (which also wasn't dirt cheap) but I think the moral justification is there to buying a fake shirt. Or there is a least a big question mark over whether it is in fact worse to buy these fakes.

The club better do something significant to pay tribute to him. Not just a minutes applause or silence.

Very sad. Always seemed like a thoroughly decent bloke and that's not factoring how utterly integral he has been to all the success we had. The one constant from the start of the journey under Nige to winning the PL and getting to the CL Quarter finals

Hermansen and I'm guessing Gary Taylor-Fletcher back? Not sure they'd give you much pace...

Nebel and Timber would be interesting though not sure about them being direct replacements. I think that list highlights the limitations with stats based scouting. The fact Jack Clarke is on there, who not only plays a different position, but has a completely different style of play, shows it's not always very accurate and you need a lot of cross referencing to get to the right players.

Plays anywhere down the right so not necessarily but certainly makes it an option

And Benkovic was supposedly better than VVD...

Totally get the indifference given his last couple of seasons in the prem. But even if he doesn't get back to his best (which let's be honest, put him right up there in world football for that role), if he's ok that will still be a good decision to keep him. Only starting the season with Winks (and Hamza if he's still a midfielder) as options from last year means that this was desperately needed for the continuity

You're not fooling anyone; you haven't got a job. Your clone on the other hand... It's the only explanation

Ben Nelson won the beep test by the looks of it

Good to see Braybrooke and Alves straight in with the first team. Hope they can have good pre seasons

But that doesn't show the most important statistic of all; his shot conversion rate. By my maths that would actually put him above pretty much every other striker in the PL over the past 10 years or so. Well, apart from some Norwegian guy. Thought I'd try the optimistic take; it's been a few years...

And Ryan Betrand to remind us of the good times

Why? What's rubbish about him? He actually does his job and doesn't make it all about him. Who would you say is actually a good football commentator?

Seen a fair bit of this tournament and Nuno Mendes has been by far the best player I've watched. Probably been dreadful for the bits of this game I haven't watched

Steve Wilson is great. He's one of the few who doesn't sensationalise everything or goes for stupid soundbites. Sit him next to a potato and he'd have as much chance of creating a 'vibe' as he would do next to Danny Murphy.