Ric Flair

People have mistaken me if they think promotion doesn't matter, the end goal needs to be that otherwise as you say we lose such talent quicker and for cheaper. But there's simply little point trying to achieve promotion and a misplaced notion of consolidation if we keep operating like we have done. I've absolutely no desire to see us in the Premier League if two of the last three seasons is anything to go by and I don't just mean because we were relegated. It's the manner in which we operated. If the reset, rebuild and new strategy sees us stay in this league for a few years whilst we get our house in order then that's part of the process that we mustn't lose faith in. There's a balance but like everything, you have to overcome the fear of failure of trying to prevent mistakes as they learn because all that will do is see us continue the misplaced belief that experience is key and we'll not fulfill our ambition either.

I know I keep repeating this but a) he was absolutely fine 2nd half and b) by that metric Vestergaard and Okoli should have been dropped after Preston and not picked again anytime soon and finally c) Page is being persevered with for the long term benefit despite being very much a work in progress. Trust the process blah blah blah

Which would be a mistake on Marti's part, let's hope things change soon.

Likewise back in July. Did Woolacombe/Baggy Point/Croyde/Saunton and back to Woolacombe. Spicy

We already did that last season and he aced it. We should be building our team around him. With only 2 years left on his deal we're risking a future £40m + player wanting out and us being worse off. This isthr rebuild phase, we need to be brave on Nelson. It's not as if he isn't ready like we maybe doing with Page for the greater good long term.

DO I NOT LIKE HILLS

Anyone got any 2026 recommendations for races? Half marathons are my preference but will do at least one full marathon next year. Keen to get a few unusual or different courses in next year so any hidden gems etc would be great.

There's rumours they are altering the course for this year but not sure if that's been confirmed? I agree with your assessment. The Birstall hill is fine, but New Walk is relentless. I don't think you can approach it overly tactically. Just grin and bare the fcuker.

Just going to enjoy this season and if he stays beyond that then it's a bonus. Massive credit to our academy. Hopefully with Evans, Page, Aluko, Hutchinson and Motsi we get to herald what we have patiently been developing over the last decade (admittedly some of these have joined our academy only in the last few years)

That's class pal, well done

Hope so, it's like having two of the best 16 year olds in the world then.

I hope we mix it up, he's very dangerous off either wing and by doing so makes it even harder for the opposition to second guess him.

Showbiz Jim

In men's football he's not yet been able to show it. Doesn't get the same time and space centrally as he does out wide. At Cardiff he was much more dangerous out wide and yesterday came on LW and no surprise he's impacted the game. Could be that he needs a few more years out wide before he's able to apply that in the congested part of the pitch, he's not the first ACM to be used out wide in his early years, Grealish was moved out wide and has sort of stayed there.

" How's the baacooon did you say? "

I don't think this is the case, in fact it's being alluded that the reason Jake Evans hasn't been included recently is due to not signing a pro deal yet.

The desire to get to that ball and ram it home is what's not been seen enough of from Alves even in his days taking the piss in academy football. The one part of his game i've wanted to be stronger is the urgency to get in to the box whatever the cost.

Kept a clean sheet away at Real Madrid, not to be sniffed at.

Would just like to see him get some minutes off thr bench. Faes comes on every game. Thr longer term point about the team being built around Nelson is absolutely valid. Stupid if we don't.

Which is ridiculous as a) he proved himself at this level for us two years ago and even more so at Oxford last season and b) 2nd half he was absolutely fine. 1st half he was abysmal but no worse than Okoli's performance at Charlton or Vestergaard at Preston. 1st half vs Sheffield Wednesday they were both muck an'all.

His best position. If they play him there most games he will shine.

What I mean is, he goes there and smashes it and we struggle in the position he plays. Basically like what we saw with Barnes in the 1st half of 2018/19. We were mingin' out wide and he was mustard whilst we struggled. To be honest, Alves probably needs to gain some arrogance to force his way in here as he isn't going to get it handed to him like some do.

Great debut for Alves by the sounds of it. Big season for him, hope he makes us regret loaning him out and comes back and rips it up.

Barnes has won the League Cup too

Newport game at 12.30pm for Braybrooke and then 3pm Huddersfield for Alves. Waited several years to watch these pair week in, week out. I won't stop now.