martyn

Eczema

Outcome: Labour majority Majority (seats): 117

D Ream blasting out in the background

The only advantage Rashford has is that he can play out wide or down the middle, and he is slightly different to the other wide options who do their best work with the ball at feet rather than in behind. By every other metric however, he shouldn't be in the squad. Be interesting to see if Maddison's lack of form sees him out of the final squad.

Rodri running his mouth again about how other teams should play.

Gdansk next weekend with friends as a few of us turning 40 around the same time. Istanbul for 5 days with the Mrs in June. Any recommendations welcomed (food, things to do etc)

Absolutely atrocious game of football. Leeds will be much the happier. Norwich set up terribly away from home.

I'm not sure what problem this is solving. We're still going to get millimetre offside decisions, which people will still moan about, just the measuring point is different.

Losing Toney would obviously not be ideal for Brentford, but they're still the joint highest goalscorers in the bottom half with Toney having barely played a part this season. Mbeumo and Wissa are dangerous players and their recruitment is generally solid.

We waited for 45 mins in the West Stand after the trophy lift and only Coady and Hermansen came by and no trophy in sight. Bit disappointing really.

Whilst you can say players were on the beach, I don't think that performance was different to too many recently prior to the West Brom game. Low tempo against a low block never looking like creating much. Need pace in the back 4 next season, Vestergaard was soft for their goal but was worse seeing Szmodics hesitate and still be able to outrun the retreating defenders. Also need to try work more situations where we can get our wingers one v one.

I don't think Brighton will struggle too badly, especially if De Zerbi stays. Their bad run coincides with half their first team squad being out injured.

If that gets an airing again then hopefully we respond in kind with Mancini and Pellegrini.

Barkley has likely played himself into a mid table move on good wages so I don't think we'd be in contention there. I'm terms of midfielders Sensi and Brownhill on frees seem sensible. Neither would likely command huge wages, or at least not in the same ball park as wages likely to be off the books (Praet, Ndidi). Then we'll need another 8 who fits the profile properly, if McAtee could fill that then ideal, but recruiting the right player there is key.

I can quite feasibly see Nelson starting for us at the start of next season.

Southampton would get eaten alive in their current state. Not just the style of play and defensive frailties, but aside from 1 or 2 players the squad is full of individuals who have failed to cut it at premier league level previously. They'd need to recruit heavily, and even then, they're still managed by Brussel.

We will have to do some business. I'd expect we'll sell KDH as a minimum + a load of high earners leaving on frees with possibly 1 or 2 staying on reduced wages. Then I imagine we look at loans, frees and young players with resale value in the £10-£15m range whose fees we can amortise into reasonable chunks over a contract.

I've come around to the idea of keeping Vestergaard, but only on the proviso that wages are reasonable and we get someone with recovery pace into the back line. His distribution is absolutely key and wouldn't easily be replaced. I'd be looking to move Faes on as a priority, if we can.

Dodged a bullet if we were really in for Piroe

Rolled back a decade with that performance.

We've been the better side but frustrating how many times KDH and Ndidi have fluffed their lines with a chance to break into the acres of space Southampton are leaving.

Why do I keep seeing Faes and pace in the same sentence. He isn't Vestergaard slow but he is not a quick player.

Ricardo was always coming back in for Hamza. Goal line heroics aside, Hamza is vastly inferior to Ricardo in that inverted full back role.

2 tickets available in B3, ideally at least 1 of which is a concession (but not critical). Would need to meet outside turnstiles 7-9 around 7.30.

15 seconds of extra injury time with the ball out of play for at least a minute and a half