Alf Bentley

Sorry, mate. The job's been cancelled. Cat's Afro-Caribbean partner reckoned you were too expensive and she's pulled the plug. You know how it is....... Black bird has spoken like the first bird.

Comedy double act? Clowns right above me, gamblers below, here I am, stuck in the middle without an answer....

I heard that there had been a worrying spike in Z-shaped stabbings in the Leicestershire area...... When I go shopping, I pretend I'm Champion the Wonder Horse. You should see me get down the aisles. Like a streak of flashing across the sky, like the swiftest arrow whizzing from a bow, like a mighty cannonball I seem to fly. You'll hear about me everywhere you go - or down at Sainsbury's Local, at least, as I've been banned.

If they finish 3rd or 4th, it makes no difference and whoever is 5th ends up in the Europa League. If they finish 5th, it means they'd be 1 of 5 English clubs in the Champions' League - but England would have only 2 teams in the Europa League.

I can quite understand your disappointment, which we all feel in varying ways and to varying extents. We seemed to have CL qualification sewn up, but there's now every chance we'll miss out - even if I retain a bit more optimism than you. I also understand the potential longer-term impacts, not least that it might make it harder to retain or to sign certain players if we can't offer CL football.....though I think that assuming a 5-year impact is overstating it. All sorts of things could affect the trajectory of the club over that timescale, for better or worse (Covid, the economy & King Power's fortunes, not to mention the ups and downs of football). Each season can be a step forward or back or a treading of water for multiple reasons. I suppose that it's just my psychology: (1) to work from where we are, not from where we might have been or from where we might be if something disastrous happens - so I've come to terms with the risk that we might end up in the EL but won't assume that is the case until it actually happens. (2) to try to see the possibility of positive outcomes while they remain, without being in denial about real negative events (but not assuming potential negative events). .....that makes life easier and happier for me, as there's enough unavoidable crap in life without needlessly making yourself miserable! It was in that positive context that I posted what was supposed to be a cheerful little comment, highlighting how circumstances could conspire against Spurs & leave them eliminated from European qualification by Wolves and Arsenal (regardless of what happens to our qualification).....so it was a bit dispiriting to get a response dripping in misery and pessimism, and implicitly accusing me (wrongly) of assuming EL football for LCFC and of not caring about that. Next time you post something intended to be positive, tag me in and I'll reply to remind you of all the misery in the world, Covid, nukes, China, Trump, terrorism and the inevitability of decay and death. Anyway, no problem. This is all just jabber...... Let's hope for a few favours this evening: I'd settle for a Liverpool win (even a draw) & a narrow Man Utd win.

Although we can dream, I'd settle for a 1 or 2-goal Man Utd win and Chelsea to lose (or even draw).....keep both of them sweating for the final day. Come on you Iron! And you Scousers!

I haven't been on the vino - or the cerveza - for 5+ years. Our prospects are a matter of opinion, of course, and your opinion seems to be based on the thinking of Dad's Army's Private Frazer! I'd say we have about a 40% chance of making the CL, Chelsea about 50% & Man Utd about 80% (I appreciate those maths probably don't quite add up)......but that's just an opinion and the future's unwritten. Being a realist, it is entirely possible, for example, that (a) We beat Utd & they fail to beat West Ham by more than 2 or Chelsea fail to beat Liverpool or Wolves; (b) We draw with Utd & Chelsea lose to Liverpool & Wolves. Might not happen, but might. But that debate is a distraction from my original post and your original response. My original post didn't even mention our prospects, which are obviously unclear. It only speculated on a potential scenario affecting the qualification / non-qualification of other clubs, particularly Spurs. In response, not content with implying that we're inevitably doomed to the EL (a pessimistic opinion you're entited to, even if it was a diversion from my point), you implied that I shared your pessimistic assumption....when I'd said nothing of the sort. The moaning misery-mongers are all over a dozen threads, so why express your misery by responding to my post about something else and then distorting what I'd said?! Cheer up, love! Might never happen!

Who said we are in the EL?! You assume that. I didn't and don't. We could still easily finish 3rd or 4th - and I certainly haven't given up on that. We could finish 3rd or 4th and the scenario that I described could unfold (I think): Leicester, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd or Chelsea AND Wolves in the CL, Man Utd or Chelsea and Arsenal in the EL, Spurs nowhere. I can tell you that I would find that enormously amusing. Aren't there enough challenges in real life just now without certain people - you, in this instance - seizing every opportunity to create an unnecessary whinefest?!??!!!

Am I correct in thinking that the following could happen, theoretically? - Spurs finish 6th and look set for the group stage of the Europa League - Arsenal then win the FA Cup, displacing Spurs from group stage to 2nd qualifying round - Wolves then win this year's Europa League, displacing Spurs from Europe entirely (top 4 + Wolves qualify for Champions' League; only 2 English teams in Europa League - whoever finishes 5th plus Arsenal as FA Cup winners) If I'm correct about that, it would be a highly amusing scenario. Bring it on!

Thanks for the recommendation, Wymsey. I nipped in today for an appointment with Sarah (very friendly & did a good job). First time I've been to a different barber for 19 years. I told them they'd been recommended by the LCFC forum & they were pleased. Apparently Luke Thomas & his Dad go in there, so we're hanging out with the stars. Out-of-control moptop is now gone and I look more beautiful than ever......well, less like an aging member of The Beatles who's sleeping on the street, anyway.

Nah! If we lose 9-0, Wolves would need to beat Chelsea by 8, wouldn't they. If they only win by 4, we finish ahead of them on GD. I reckon Agent Bennett faces an FA investigation under that scenario, too.

Quite right, Debs. Perhaps next time you could adopt the more gentle, diplomatic tone deployed by the Baron........

Well, he should have made clear the other one was wrong then! I'm appealing to the FA! (Fvckwits Anonymous, that is, not the Football Association.....they find me very appealing, the other FA )

Hard to keep up when you congratulate him for getting it right twice with 2 different answers!