Matt

Firstly I understand this is a discussion focusing on ourselves, our fanbase and our stadium but I’m hearing rally cries more and often from managers needing fans to play their part. Arteta being the latest on the radio this morning. Obviously we’ve heard it ourselves from Enzo. Reckon Pep’s done it more than a few times. Just 3 examples, all out of the same ‘stable’ but I'm certain there are many more examples. I don’t remember hearing it (certainly as often) or there being a need to hear it back in the day (….ergh) I don’t with to go over old ground but it’s unfortunately a byproduct of modern society and the modern game. Sanitisation. That's not to say it’s right or any insight into fixing it.

Painful watching Chelsea play out from a goalkick. Gary Neville calling it out for what it is too He was doing it the other week and he's doing it again tonight, thing is they're not the only team that do it and they're not the only team who struggle to do it/cause their own problems by doing it but they're the only team I notice he points it out with.

Which is exactly what is needed.

Big fan of how Stefan Borson speaks and what he has to say, listened to him on TalkSport a few times and nearly suggested @BSLBPod tried to get him on. He explains everything well and makes it’s slightly easier to understand, doesn’t mean I agree with the rules but I think there are so many grey areas and uncharted waters that even Stefan doesn’t agree with what is laid out. They are literally making it up as they go along. I said the other day I think our fanbase are more concerned about what other teams are doing more than what we do ourselves - I was talking on pitch results, but in this case I think yes we’ll get punished but I think others will not be able to escape worse or atleast similar.

Another potential conspiracy of mine. Talk of rule changes; So are they looking into or at the “lesser” teams, handing out punishments, meanwhile the “bigger” clubs are under investigation with no end date, the powers that be are reducing the punishments (In Everton’s case) in order to not be so heavy handed on the “bigger” clubs and/or are waiting for the rules to change and not punish those clubs at all? You can’t have a situation where a handful of clubs get punished, then change the rules. It seems to me an independent review was threatened the Premier League were backed into a corner to do something, they’ve done something but they’re fudging it. Seems to me an independent review needs to take place more than ever.

Don’t worry about it, the phrase ‘football snobbery’ springs to mind.

A few comments have been made claiming our bench isn't good enough, whilst our bench options may not be better or get in our starting 11, we have one of if not the strongest squads in the division, our bench options are far better than most other teams in this league and they'd walk into their teams, when players in our starting 11 are tiring use the bleeding bench!

Unfortunately, it's a sad indictment of the game but you've hit the nail on the head.

For what it worth, coming from someone who really quite dislikes a pure possession based game and playing out from the back i've enjoyed this season, not just because we've won more - Even when we were winning and had somewhat successes under Rodgers I really disliked how we played. This season is possession based, is playing out, but the difference is, it's with purpose as i've said a few times this season, I get it, in this league. It has been successful this season, until now, where we looking awfully vulnerable and having a wobble raising some big questions and concerns. Unfortunately somethings gotta give regarding a plan B, whether as someone quoted me saying "Plan B is becoming abit of parody" or not. I've rarely complained about style of play this season, many have and rightly or wrongly on either side people have said "playing this way has been successful", "it's the only way to be successful", I disagree with that as sweeping statements, in isolation for example as a top team, this season, in this league, I agree but i'm not sure that argument will stand up next season and if we play this way we're in for a world of pain and largely it'll be no better than the previous 7 years, there would be no rhyme or reason for us to play this way in the Premier League - That's if we get there.

Ahh but that would mean admitting they're in the wrong.

As I said last week, I appreciate there is an interest in the teams around us but every season I feel our fans hold what other teams are doing in more importance than what we actually do, Leeds drew last week, Ipswich lost today, it counts for nothing if we don't do the job ourselves.

Generally I think the Pep comparison's are lazy opinions but Pep moaned about the need to introduce 5 subs then continually failed to even use 3 if I remember right.

Think when I looked at the fixtures and totted up predicted points a few weeks ago I had this down as a draw, but think we all looked at it and feared a loss or tough game - And that was before this wobble. Still doesn't make me feel any less disappointed. Pressure is really building now.

What happened 3 1/2 years ago?!

The wording I heard was clubs being pulled/punished in "Real time", the point being their charges date back over many years, why weren't they pulled up way before now, meanwhile the 'lesser' clubs are being pulled up instantly.

What i'm getting at is if fans weren't sat with their thumb up their arse and whilst contradicting myself, happy clapping, they could have backed the club into a corner and forced the club to act sooner. What beggars belief is there are vocally and visibly more people critical of Maresca than they ever were of Rodgers.

Fair point but that's what people (powers that be within the club and fans alike) get for thinking "we're too good to go down" or "be careful what you wish for" and not acting sooner removing Rodgers. If that also got us in trouble with FFP they had to take the wrap on the knuckles one way or another and whether we could afford it or not (As people alluded to last season) I'd imagine sacking Rodgers would have cost a damn sight less the relegation.

If and/or when we get punished i'm sure i'll be pretty pissed off but currently i'm struggling to get uppity about it based on; I personally believe we saw this coming on the horizon and tightened our belts somewhat, hence not spending in 22/23 and regardless of if we have or have not broke any rules or whether we are sailing close to the wind, most other clubs have quite clearly and blatantly over spent way more than ourselves. Because of that regardless of any punishment we might be given, other clubs might/should be punished harsher. They're blatantly trying to punish the 'lesser' clubs before looking at the 'bigger' clubs who quite clearly continually break all kinds of rules. All clubs* will be starting next season on -20. *Greedy Six exempt.

Whilst it was an uneasy, nervy and concerning performance I’ll take the positives that it’s about time we won ugly.

People go on about Villa’s sales then when countered go on to say wages have screwed us, I couldn’t see us signing a player for around £17m on £125k p/w (apparently) only for them to play 22 games like Villa and by the way has anyone googled Villa’s apparent wages? Eyewatering.

I raise you: Chilwell Barnes Hurst All of which were pure profit totaling to circa £96m Add to that small buys/big sales of: Drinkwater Mahrez Maguire Fofana Maddison I appreciate they weren't pure profit and there are sell on %'s involved but you're looking in the region of £200m (and i've knocked quite abit off, i'm being generous, it should be way more than that figure) I also get i'm looking over many seasons and a bigger window but the point i'm making is we've made more small buys/big profits, had more successes and generated more money than alot of clubs, yet we've acted like paupers for years.

Nige got players who would run through walls for him. The team, the squad, the club(!) had some backbone back then.

I really don’t get how we’ve sold players for such big money, consistently, not really spent mega, had relative successes and continually acted like paupers while others haven’t sold, spent money of shite and not been successful. I appreciate our wages were and still are high but any comparisons I make with other clubs just don’t add up.

I'm seeing and hearing alot mentioned of sideways and backwards passing something I made a big thing of last season. Personally I wouldn't say there was alot of sideways and backwards passing, not when i'm using last season as the yardstick anyway. I thought we played alot in their half, alot around their box, we just looked clueless when it came to getting in their box, with little to no quality, constantly repeating and recycling the same moves, predictable and too easy.

Personally I like to listen to it at work (but also like to listen live and uncut so i'm torn between what I do! Ha) with reaction to games* earlier in the week rather than later but as others have said before me its your time and you all have your commitments so it's a case of when it suits all of you. *Especially after yesterday, I feel the upcoming pod could be abit of a mad one.