It's a promising sign when we play **** and still get results. That's what good teams do. Top 6 for me.
After the League Cup shambles i have no ****ing idea what is going on with the “champions league”. What a pile of utter crap.
Sorry was having a bad day!! Going to chill, need to realise getting frustrated with stuff one has no control over is beyond pointless. Annoying that everything always seems to go specifically against us; worst possible UCL draw the year before it turns into this, so then watching Villa get the likes of Young Boys is so irritating!
I'll take that! There was probably a litlte tiny something in it, like with Philips, but I'd guess the demands from their clubs were too much to risk.
I'm aware I've just jinxed that btw, so when they give up on Guehi today and push through a last minute bid for DCL, blame me.
Bit of clarity on my moan - the 6 sides in Europe getting guarantees that they couldn't play each other was absolutely ridiculous and made absolutely no sense. They still play another team, they just get a 2nd round bye and almost a 3rd round pass too. The reasons were irrelevant - it made no difference if they played each other or another team. I am still a bit dumbstruck how more hasn't been made of it, as they spoke of fixture congestion yet it doesn't really do anything but make that WORSE as they all likely advance to the 4th round. As for the UCL - it's just got a bit absurd. It needs to be called something else, maybe something like European Super League, 'cos Champions it ain't. Then the format - you play 8 random opponents, with "bigger" clubs getting a range of easy matches, then the top 8 of a 24 team league go into last 16, with the other 16 playing a knockout to get to the next knockout. 50% more matches, all in the name of money, so the rich make the gap wider.
I went for 7th - 10th, similar to my prediction for last season, but I was waiting for the transfer window before commenting. I now still think 7th - 10th is realistic. I expect top 5 spots will likely be contended between Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea & Man United. Leaving us, Spurs, Brighton, Villa, West Ham (and maybe one or two others) to fight out the other top half places. Yes, it's possible, but finishing any higher will be a well earned bonus based on the squads available.
I think all the pressure is on Eddie, and he'll be aware of what means being here for the next phase and not. I have a weird feeling he'll somehow do it. I don't like some of what he does, but I think there's something there, some steel. He shouldn't have got to 4th, shouldn't (with the injuries) got 7th and a whisker of Europe. If he can somehow do it again, then maybe he's got more than I (and others) think he does. Just to add; everyone Mitchell has worked with has had a vision: - Quality well over quantity - Improvement from within - Aggressive 4-3-3 and dynamic style - No desire to spend heavily If that isn't Eddie Howe then shoot me.
Unless a managerial change is happening, I think we'll piss on a lot of chips. I'd ****ing love it if we hammered Spurs on Sunday. Love it.
