Lineker's Lugs

Imagine doing a drinking game watching Sky's coverage where you had to take a drink every time Neil or Phoebe says 'right'. You'd be dead by the end of the first quarter. This could be shaping up as a last-possession-wins game.

I did think of Chloe Kelly when I wrote my previous post but left her name out of it as it seems far too much of a stretch, even in her current circumstances. She wasn't in the Man City squad at all today. The manager said she had a knock, but there are strong rumours of a permanent transfer in this window. Even if that doesn't happen, they are short of attacking options and have lost their last two games so Gareth Taylor might finally realise he needs to be playing her. I like the idea though, and if in some unfathomable twist of fate it did happen it would be the commercial boost the club needs. Williams was a player I thought City should have gone for when they were first promoted - she was at Spurs at the time. She's now 37 so would probably be a bench player wherever she was, and since she comes on in every game at United I think she'll be happy where she is. Maybe a homecoming might have some appeal though. Realistically it's more likely to be a Polish international I've never heard of who is stuck on the bench at Stuttgart. Or something like that.

I thought Gilly Flaherty made a good point (never thought I would type those words) when she suggested Leicester should look to sign a forward on loan who needs game time ahead of the Euros. I've no idea who, if anyone, might fit the bill but potentially it's a way to get a better player than would otherwise be willing to join.

Pre-match quote from Amandine Miquel re signings: "Right now, we need people that care and that want to help. If we don't find that player in our minds, we will not be adding any players because I trust the quality we already have here for the second phase [of the season]."

Not to mention strengthening Spurs by selling them a much better keeper than they already have immediately before playing them!

One of the better first halves they've had this season. Not that the bar is very high on that.

Nelly Las has always been really good when I've seen her in England youth teams. The early signs are that she can do it in the WSL too. A bit damning on the rest that a 17 year old instantly looks like one of the best players though.

Sold the wrong keeper!

I'm ok with it not being a clean shot!

I think you mean it's reactive bullshit. Reactionary actually means wanting things to stay the same.

Goff has picked a bad day to have a bad day.

2-0 up and well on the way to losing at Man City in the next round.

Kop certainly deserves to be starting somewhere and she's better than either of the Spurs keepers so it's a good move for her and them. Presumably a January transfer involves a fee, but without knowing how much it's difficult to know if it's a good move for Leicester. On the face of it they are left exposed if Leitzig picks up another injury.

I could be wrong but I seem to remember that one issue was that Scottish teams wouldn't be allowed to qualify for UEFA competitions if they moved to a league in another country.

Texans have flattered to deceive this season. Beaten the chumps, lost to pretty much anyone decent.

It's been an underwhelming regular season for me, possibly a result of having 14 teams in the playoffs or so many teams crippled by injuries. There is talk of going to 18 games but I'd rather go back to 16 and have two bye weeks each and hopefully have more players able to play more games. I'm looking forward to win or go home time in January though.

As a long time Seahawks watcher, I've long felt that Russell Wilson makes a lot of his own problems by holding on to the ball too long.

There are two, Steelers at Ravens next.

Can nobody just go for Mahomes's ankle? Preferably with a chainsaw.

Of all the teams to dent Chelsea's 100% record in all matches this season! I'll admit I was thinking before the game that conceding less than 5 would count as a good result for Leicester. And I was still thinking that with ten minutes to go!

I have mixed feelings on this. Instinctively I’d rather the WSL didn’t mirror the PL, although it’s the PL that I find dull (and don’t watch) rather than the WSL. But I think it was an inevitable and pragmatic choice to encourage men’s teams to develop a women’s side and if you look round Europe, it’s been the case everywhere. If the FA hadn’t gone down that route England as a national side would have risked being left behind and the Euro win and World Cup final wouldn’t have happened. I don’t really follow the finances too closely, but as I understand it spending on a women’s side is ignored as far as PSR is concerned, so it’s basically down to an individual club’s appetite of what they are prepared to spend. Of course that means the clubs with the richest owners are more likely to have the better women’s teams and so we end up with the better teams in the PL and WSL being the same. But if that’s the price to pay for the huge increase in standard, I’m ok with it on balance. I find that as I watch the WSL - and I watch every match - I do so as a neutral and I don’t bring any baggage from the PL teams. I might have an axe to grind against the men’s teams, but that doesn’t carry over to the women, to the extent that I don't really think of them as the same clubs. Perhaps if I still watched men's football it would be different. Ultimately, I’ve been watching the women’s game for 25 years and I love where it’s got to, even if the process of getting there has been a bit artificial.

Normally you'd say it would build confidence, but when it's Chelsea next, maybe not!

Carla Ward has said she’s ready to return to management and as she lives in Sheffield it would be a much shorter commute to Leicester than it was to Villa. She’d be a good option, and probably realistic, but whoever is manager, the squad needs significant investment. Being perennial relegation contenders isn’t going to help attract players or coaches. Or supporters for that matter. Leicester seem locked in a vicious circle.

The FA Cup 4th Round Draw is on YouTube and it's an absolute mess. But Leicester are home to Stoke.

West Ham have done Leicester a favour. It's bizarre that a team that has scored 2 goals in 9 games is off the bottom on goal difference.