RiseAgainst

Just read @p_mardsstory about the near-death experience on the motorway. Really hope you've recovered from it by now and aren't still having flashbacks. A similar thing happened to me on the M6 a few years ago. Drug dealer in an Audi (it would be an Audi, wouldn't it) coming towards me at probably 100mph on the hard shoulder, me in lane 1 doing 70, car in lane 2, so nowhere to go. For a few strangely elongated seconds, I accepted my death. The wife couldn't drive at that point so I had to continue our journey home for another two hours, because I knew if I stopped I wouldn't be able

Fine sentiments from Izzy, but we all know he'd leave in a heartbeat if a big-money offer came through for him in the summer. Chuba almost gushed with praise for Carrick and the club last season. I'm not suggesting he was wrong to move, but saying you're enjoying your time at a club is meaningless in the modern football world.

If we still have Smith and Ayling in August, we don't need a third RB. Our problems aren't at the back - they're at the other end of the pitch. No club could expect to be in contention for promotion with our current forward line, even if the players do have more experience and no injury issues next season.

Drury's going to be so confused after he drives to Southampton tomorrow.

We've had some awful individual performances today, with players right off it (if they were ever on it). Saints could have scored twice in two minutes in the second half, when we briefly looked shambolic. There have been so many bad individual decisions made by players it's impossible to list. If we were Southampton fans, I suspect we'd be raging about a 1-1 draw at home against an injury-riven team in poor form carrying passengers like Greenwood and Silvera, especially after leading for most of the match. Still, gritty performance overall, we did hold them at bay for long periods, and it

Well, I did not see that coming!

Someone's been led away by the police in the stadium. Let's hope it was Greenwood for stealing a living off us.

Two absolute let-offs in the last few minutes. We are so lucky to only be one nil down.

So, next season, eh?

No, it's apathy that's inevitable now.

Hey, look on the bright side, people have been saying for days we'd like to see some kids given a runout!

I think it'll be Howson and Clarke at CB, Ayling and Engel at the sides and then Barlaser and O'Brien as two CDMs, with Jones and Azaz out wide. I accept we've clearly got a lot of injuries (again), but the random positional generator has been dusted off for today.

Greenwood 🤦‍♂️

We'd probably end up with something designed in MS Paint, christened Badgey McBadgeface, reusing the current lion and adding 1986 back in just to confuse opposing fans about our heritage.

Was just about to post the same thing. I didn't finish the second series of AWP but I remember that was the key storyline - they were selling the Transporter Bridge overseas - America IIRC.

⬆️ Want that one.

Yes, perhaps deadwood is too pejorative a term. "Not good enough for what we need next season" is a kinder - if rather wordier - way of expressing what I mean. I don't think we play to Barlaser's strengths, and I'd defend him to a point. He can be a fine passer but he'd look a far better player overall as the holder in a CDM pairing alongside a teammate with more licence to charge forwards. He's clearly limited in some respects, and certainly wouldn't be in my starting XI if everyone was fit, but I think he could be a useful player for us, especially in games which are getting bogged down

It was me who said we had extensive dead wood. I would argue that Glover either needs to be played in a different system (e.g. not being a Steffen-style sweeper-keeper) or receive intensive coaching to try and knock the numerous ricks out of his system. Yes, he's probably good enough as a stand-in to Dieng, but I don't think he gives the defenders or fans much confidence. The question "is he good enough for a concerted promotion push?" needs to be levelled at any player in our squad in preparation for an absolutely critical season ahead of us. You can argue Glover's merits and deficienci

I think the dwindling post count in recent MDTs is emblematic of the fact our season is basically over. It feels as if the club have given up on this season, so it's unsurprising some fans have, too. I ignored the last game entirely, checked the score at 5pm (it was 0-0), added one post on here and went off to do something more enjoyable. There is a stagnant malaise around the club right now which has been engendered by poor performances, an awful January transfer window (and a pretty dodgy summer one before that), a seemingly endless injury list and the ST prices PR fiasco. I normally ma

That could become far worse than the current system. If managers had the ability to appeal, they'd find spurious reasons to appeal at times of maximum opportunity - to disrupt waves of opposing attacks, for instance, or to buy an injured player time to come back on. They'd then howl about the injustice of not being able to appeal an obviously wrong decision because they'd used up their allocation earlier in the match. I can almost hear the likes of Guardiola bleating about it on MotD now. The original number of allowable appeals would be steadily increased over time, too, I have no doubt. Foot

If Forest got four points for a temporary financial breach and a guilty plea, what should Man City get? 200 points deducted? 250? Relegation to the Conference? In truth, City will probably spend six or seven years enmeshing the football authorities in oceans of red tape and spurious arguments through one court after another, and then when the PL are on the brink of bankruptcy, City will be given a token fine and asked not to do it again. I'm honestly glad Boro aren't in the PL, with its institutionalised cheating and six-minute VAR checks. What a cesspool of a league.

Spent the afternoon at a spa celebrating my wedding anniversary and just read through the thread. Jesus, what a depressing season this has been. Beyond the obvious first choice XI, we're carrying far too many passengers and not-up-to-its. We need a massive clear out in June starting with every loan player bar Ayling, who's still not necessarily good enough for a promotion campaign. We're a largely joyless team to watch, and even when we win it tends to be attritional rather than enjoyable. August cannot come soon enough. And the recruitment team need a rocket up their jacksies for the sl

Can (will) we win again? We can. Will we? I think this might be a Desmond. Will we see another "sensible" performance? I do hope so. If it ain't broke... Line up prediction? Hopefully unchanged. Ayling was my MotM midweek, so I'd be quite happy to see him in the team again if we're staying with the 532 formation, which I suspect we will. Who is your favourite player to represent both clubs and why isn't it Rudi Gestede? Shay Given. I always liked him, even when he was a skunk, and he's one of the best keepers we've ever had. As for Rudy, he epitomised ev

Forss was fading, so I understand the logic behind the subs, but yet again, Greenwood did nothing to justify his place on the pitch. Neither did Azaz, which is worrying if we're hoping he'll become Rogers' replacement. Even though we look much better playing with two up front, it's the one area of the pitch where we're obviously (and quite desperately) short of quality. Good win, with some fine individual performances, but a pretty boring watch (especially second half) and hardly a springboard for a late play-off run. Birmingham dragged us down to their level in the second half, but

Wonder what the Danish is for "have it"?