The boy Linacre

Maybe this would be a better question on 29th Jan (LC Semi final), 2nd March (LC Final), 19th April (FA CUP Semi Finals), 17th May (End of League season), 23rd May (FA Cup final). I suspect most of us have probably become almost a bit blase about us as a team. We have spent 63 years outside the top flight and 51 years inside it. Next season (as we are now safe!) we will equal our 3rd longest ever spell in the top flight. 1 and 2 were 100 & 50 years ago!!! We have been 1st once, only 4 years ago, we have been 2nd once 91 years ago, 3rd once 92 years ago, 4th once 52 years ago. We should finish in the top 4 now, we're not bad, the competition (Manure, Spuds & Wolves) are too inconsistent, all eminently beatable by all in this league and in Europe for a while, and mathematically with current form a very long way behind and running out of games. If we reach a cup final (god if we won it!!) and finished in the top 4 that would be our 2nd best season in history 4 years after our best, with probably a better team than 4 years ago. Don't forget the 8 League wins on the bounce. A Champions League run next season, quarter's perhaps again could finance us consistently matching/overtaking, certainly Manure, Arsenal & even Spurs, the 1st 2 are in disarray and 2 or 3 seasons from improvement. For me he has got us to overpotentialise, he has shown respects for the cups and what a ride that is for us all, unlike Claude for almost a year we didn't lose to teams we shouldn't have (Soton, Burnley). We have even discovered since West Ham that the back up players can win games relatively easily, Wigan, Brentford perhaps Birmingham/Coventry. We may be lucky enough to prioritise the FA Cup in April & May!!! (Lucky draws included). My big hope is he persuades ALL of that team to stay next week if we reach the Champions League, aside from Man City or Liverpool, the rest of the so called "big boys" are unhappy, underperfoming clubs in the short to mid term, stay here lads (Wilf, Riccy, Ben, Maddison) and continue the ride and lets really build a consistent 5 year top 6, cup competitive club.

Barry & Crouch both played for Villa in the 2-2 in April, Barry played at west Ham yesterday. Defoe played for West Ham, still playing for Rangers. That might be it.

Really enjoyed the Shrewsbury game today, like Rochdale vs Spuds in 2018, you always want the big boys to get a bloody nose. Klopp's approach means they have a great chance of getting past the reds. As for the cup draw, its time Man C, Man Utd, Spuds, Chelsea, drew each other, lets really open it up for us. Then of course either a home draw against 1) non premier league 2) rest; or away to the 3) lowest positioned team or 4) Midlands team Great to see us at it like this in both cups, very reminiscent of 1997 when we were giving it large in the cups, robbed by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but brought the other one home!!! Fingers crossed!!

Big Basket ball fan, Massive Lakers fan, the heartbeat of the team from the turn of the century to 3 or 4 years has gone, truly sad. Lucky to have seen him in action early part of this century during the Lakers 3 Peat, 5 titles, MVP, Finals MVP, Olympics gold medal winner in London, a basketball legend and a sports legend. Held the NBA torch after Jordan's retirement and Oscar winner too. RIP 8 & 24.

Thought we were excellent last night, now lets be honest the Hammers were pants, so an element of you look good against poor teams, but hey we didn't get it done against Burnley!! But from literally the off, we played the ball around a lot quicker at the back, which set the agenda and we had so much of the play in the first 20 mins and they all got confidence from that, great job, Wilf back, Perez, Barnes and Nacho all played well above too. The direction of the season will be enormously influenced in the next 10 days: 1) Possible 5th round of the cup, and Brentford have a big game against Forest on Tuesday which means they might rotate 2) Villa - 1st cup final for 20 years if we win 3) Chelsea @ home - beat them and 3rd is there to lose. COYB, lets really hope last night's form continues for 10 days and the fans can really get behind them at all grounds.

With the Vardy injury, who know hows much regular play in more central positions Ayoze & Nacho will see, a great opportunity for them to show the fans what they can really do consistently. My one bugbear with Nacho is absolutely NO RIGHT FOOT (Chilwell's massive problem too!!) and yet he has had 2 1/2 years in the wilderness to work on it. One of the many areas that Vardy has massively improved is with his left foot, that's an example of how to get better as a player. But he has made a major difference and improvement this season, so well done to him and great news for the club, should be enough to see us finish in top 4.

With the Vardy injury, who know hows much regular play in more central positions Ayoze & Nacho will see, a great opportunity for them to show the fans what they can really do consistently. My one bugbear with Nacho is absolutely NO RIGHT FOOT (Chilwell's massive problem too!!) and yet he has had 2 1/2 years in the wilderness to work on it. One of the many areas that Vardy has massively improved is with his left foot, that's an example of how to get better as a player. But he has made a major difference and improvement this season, so well done to him and great news for the club, should be enough to see us finish in top 4.

All or most of the buses via all companies are leaving at 8am so are likely to get up there at 11ish. Cricket club is popular & we went to a really good Bridge Bier Huisbur midday opening & 2pm kick off is a challenge. Will the buses drop us off around 11? Will any drinking establishments be open??

I've seen him around at a few away games and get the impression from some of the comments on this thread he and his approach isn't massively popular. Simples, stop commenting about him and absolutely do not follow him, if he isn't now, he will in the future be making money out of YOU looking at and supporting his content as his number of followers grows. So he may be at the next game standing next to you giving you a running commentary you don't want to hear.

Nice job, I did it last year, good to have a break from it on occasion

We were in the pub b4 Soton, today & some reminiscing was taking place along with discussing missing Burnley away because you would miss your Sunday lunch (we persuaded him otherwise!!!) Anyway parents being away & Vesta Beef Risotto (a particular favourite, & chow mein) were mentioned!! Risotto seemed to be a favourite, there used to be a term (keep it clean now!!) to describe food that you added water, anybody know???😁 Anybody like Vesta Beef Risotto back in the day??

Oh yeah - as everybody seems a bit nervy about this one (me included!!!). Anybody know if Mike Dean is at Stockley Park for us tomorrow??

Think that is it in a nutshell, 2 winnable games (first against a side with something to prove). 6 pts from Saturday & Burnley away and it becomes very tough for Manure, Wolves & Spuds to catch us and puts us much closer to 70pts with plenty of games to get there. At the point where have no concern about the performance whatsoever, (see Everton H), just fall over the line anyhow and get the 3pts. Question - who or what is a stiker??

Think that is it in a nutshell, 2 winnable games (first against a side with something to prove). 6 pts from Saturday & Burnley away and it becomes very tough for Manure, Wolves & Spuds to catch us and puts us much closer to 70pts with plenty of games to get there. At the point where have no concern about the performance whatsoever, (see Everton H), just fall over the line anyhow and get the 3pts. Question - who or what is a stiker??

What is the general approach if you turn up at the family stand without your offspring?? My lad is heading towards maybe missing plenty of a season coz he's at Uni, can I still go in without him with my adult ticket, I don't want lots of aggro every fortnight trying to get in...... Family Stand is good coz the tickets are cheap.....

What do people think the take up for this will be as Friday Night, on TV, think its the 14th (does that mean something in February??) All STH's??? I went to both games last year so would like to see if we can score an offside 4th in injury time this time!!

Spot on. Lets do the math..... To start with, We have 1pt for the goal difference on the 3 teams that could disrupt the top 4, Manure, Spuds & Wolves. All 3 have 17 games left, United & Spurs lose 1 game in 3, that's just what they do, Wolves draw too many. 70pts will probably do, that's 25pts in 17 games for us, 1 win in 2 amongst the rest of our fixtures. But also 40pts+ for them, well over 2pts per game. Do we really think those 3, that none of the rest of the League fear, will achieve that with European campaigns as well they hope will crown or rescue their season. Course it can go wrong, but the difference I think between between Brendan and Claude is that Brendan almost exclusively ensures that we don't drop points against teams that we would beat or we are better than.

I supposed what you're saying here is that if a player has to choose NOW between 2 clubs who are offering the same wages then he is going to choose based on the above. So which one would the player choose: Leicester City or..... Everton Maybe the trophies aren't so important........but when all said and done they choose on money I suspect, generally manipulated by their agents

Me too + 1, West Stand for Wigan, east Stand for Villa

See both sides of it, don't think there is a one size fits all answer. City whilst back in the Premier have had a really good injury record, why?? Liverpool have just had a silly 18 months to 2 years in terms of matches, and aside from Oxlade Chamberlain a couple of times what other decimation of the squad have they had? I think it comes down to how squads approach it all, the reduction in training when the fixture congestion is high. Clubs are so scientific these days (or should be) and they know whats coming..... Rafa used to play a weakened team against the big boys in the Prem, Eddie Howe almost never plays the 1st teamers in the FA Cup and probably League Cup. Perhaps you play slightly weakened teams if you are near the bottom against the big boys away for example, and do the best you can in your "Premier Mini League" There are ways round this whether you are at the top or the bottom, but the clubs have to find a way that works or like Villa now with Wesley and Heaton, or they are in trouble. We have a good squad now, 18 months after the title we didn't, clubs go through cycles and changes and need to make sure they have enough cover. Morale of the story, finish 17th or higher, but where possible find a way to keep the players on the pitch most of the time.

Park Runs are totally free as well!!! You don't get much for free these days!!

He's a decent player, has so far lacked consistency, suspect though we overpaid for £30m, but he's fine and does a job, would love it if he finished the season with over a dozen goals, that would be a good effort.

yep its a mess there currently and as I said 5 years from the title, go there and you're going for the money, unless they show a consistent uplift in form which they haven't since Alex left. Lot of talk of Maddison maybe going there, the only reason would be money, we will play CL, they might not play Europa. They won't win a trophy, we have a seriously exciting team that is probably real fun to play in with a great team ethic.

To be honest most of us love it, they lorded it over the 1st 20 years of the Prem, take your hat off to Fergie even more (grudgingly) as he did it with at least 3 teams, they are 5 years away from another title, will do them some good to understand what most other teams go through. Man C & Liverpool are light years ahead of them. Back to the 80's when Sexton, Big Ron and Fergie's 1st years saw lots spent and little won.

Choudry & Perez have both scored has scored more goals in 2020 than L Messi, C Ronaldo, K Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski!!!!