Lineker's Lugs

Call me pessimistic but I'm starting to think Leicester aren't going to win tonight.

This is just a theory as I didn’t look at the fixtures previously, but I suspect it was meant to be on Saturday then got moved because of the FA Cup game. Therefore it still counts as a weekend match and isn’t covered by the all-midweek-games-on-sky thing.

The play off will be interesting whoever ends up in it. On the one hand the top division team should be better player for player, but they will have had a poor season and be low on confidence whereas the 3rd placed WSL2 side will have had a decent season and be feeling more positive. The different mindset between trying to gain promotion and trying not to be relegated will be a factor too.

I’m confident it won’t happen. The story came out because stakeholders (horrible word to use around sport) were sent a survey last week. When I completed mine I was strongly in opposition to the seeding idea and from reports it seems most other respondents were the same. The other main changes were to do the draws all the way to the final at the same time as the last 32 draw, and to play that round, the round of 16 and the quarter finals every other weekend. The idea being to create a better narrative and momentum. My feedback on that was that it wouldn’t make much difference due to most games being on TNT anyway and therefore out of sight for most people.

Looks like a win for Liverpool. They’ve probably had the best window of the whole league.

I'm also involved in grassroots women and girls football and fully agree with your comments. More generally it seems to me that the new body that took over running the WSL seems to be doing its best to hide it away. Playing most matches at the same time reduces the league's visibility. The League Cup is the same - the semi-finals were between the big 4 but both kicked off at 7pm on Wednesday. Why not have them on separate days? There seems to be an obsession with trying to avoid having too many matches clash with men's matches but that assumes they have the same audience. There will obviously be crossover but they need to show more faith in the women's game to find its own audience - and if it doesn't, so be it. But give it a chance by spreading out the games to make them more visible and getting rid of 12pm Sunday kick-offs. And as for Lehmann, I don't see that a social media following will translate into any extra attendees at the KP and she'll add next to nothing to the team. I think it's a dreadful signing, but I suppose at least the club are trying something different so good on them for that even if I don't expect it to work on any level.

Welsh international goalkeepers are usually so good for Leicester as well.

Apparently he wasn’t sacked because of performance, more that they don’t think he’s the right person for their future plans. The replacement is all lined up supposedly. Imagine actually having a strategy for the future. Surely there must be a rule against that sort of thing?

On 21st December the four League Cup QFs are being shown exclusively on YouTube. No TV company to dictate the timing, yet all four are 1pm kick offs. The WSL really doesn’t help itself.

Everton beating Chelsea with Ruby Mace immense. Whatever fee Leicester got for her wasn't enough.

Just started up the game and noticed in Steam that I'm up to 423.5 hours played. I think it's safe to say I'm enjoying it!

I’ve not played a huge amount yet, mainly due to setting up a new laptop yesterday and wanting to fix a few things such as adding/changing some images, but I am enjoying it. I think it has helped that I spent time nosing around the UI before starting a save I was going to stick with. I’m not finding the actual gameplay to be much different to FM24 which I only got a few months ago and was the first version I’ve played in years. I probably wouldn’t have bothered with FM26 if it weren’t for the addition of women’s football which is really where my interest lies these days. The strangest bug I’ve found so far was when I brought on a sub at half time and she played the second half still wearing her tracksuit.

It's a bit depressing how much I have to change my real date of birth when I create a manager profile in order to have a decent length career.

Rick will be happy. He picked a team for a 0-0 and got it.

#FreeNellyLas

Right wing back is the perfect position for her. Personally I’d start her but I can understand taking it gently with a young player.

Las should be getting at least half an hour every week, she’s learning nothing sat on the bench and has more talent than most in the squad.

Shocking goalkeeping but taking a shot led to a goal. Who’d have thought?

Absolute mess of a goal.

Considering Ale’s name only has three letters the commentators are finding an impressive variety of ways to pronounce it.

Two of today’s games are being dual broadcast on YouTube and it’s the same next weekend with Leicester v Everton being one of the two. Nothing currently listed for YouTube the following weekend though (12th Oct).

I thought both challenges should have been a yellow but Van Egmond's was closer to a red. The yellow later for Cuthbert when she was pushed over was ridiculous.

I think he just wanted to be nearer his family and Leicester suits him in that regard.

Passmoor does seem to have got them well organised and working hard. I suspect they'll run out of steam with all the effort they're putting in, but a creditable performance so far. I wonder if Passmoor will be made permanent after yesterday's sad news.

I haven’t done the maths myself but a draw for us and in the Middlesex v Derbyshire game and that’s it apparently.