Lineker's Lugs

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Shame Bella is out. They used to play for my club's junior teams, even when in Game of Thrones. It seemed an unwritten rule in committee meetings that we didn't refer to the fact we had a player who was in the biggest show on TV. I did it once and there was a bit of a sharp intake of breath. I didn't do it again.

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Anyone been watching SI's previews of FM27? Everything looks good, but there's nothing I'm really bothered about. The in-match stuff and the improvements to immersion look like definite steps forward, but as I usually just rattle through seasons using instant result they won't really impact me unless I change the way I play. I'm doubtless in a minority of one, but all I really want are data exports (definitely not happening) and more depth in the women's game to make a career save worthwhile. I'm in two minds about getting the game at this stage.

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That’s how he’s always been. It was perhaps justified back in the amateur/part time days, but in a professional set up (in name at least) the constant stream of instructions shouldn’t be necessary, just a bit of tinkering.

Credit where it’s due, Passmoor’s half-time team talk has worked wonders. For Sunderland.

#oneclub

Nothing can possibly go wrong now.

I didn’t realise McLoughlin is out for a while. She’s the real loss in my opinion.

A four goal win and top spot awaits.

Some people just prefer to watch men running around getting sweaty and we need to respect their life choices.

1st is automatic promotion, 2nd and 3rd play off and the winner of that then faces 13th from the top flight for the final place in the WSL. I think Leicester have a strong enough squad for top three, but unless they change their approach they’ll just be cannon fodder again next season if they do go up.

I always refer to Leicester as Leicester these days. The time I would talk about 'us' or 'we' is long gone. Defeats like today no longer resonate at all. Life's too short to be too invested in the mess the club has become.

I’m broadly supportive of London City from the perspective of seeing an independent women’s team doing well, but there are certainly reservations, not least the fact their starting line up last night was the first in WSL history not to include a single English player. Good to see former Loughborough Foxes player Becky Langley on their coaching staff though.