WatfordOwl

The P&S rules have made it so difficult for any promoted sides to consistently not be in a dogfight for the drop every season. Champions League qualification bar the odd season is also now virtually a closed shop. Not sure what the answer would be to create greater competition. The same clubs will always buy the emerging talent from others that are not seen as being as fashionable, likely Ipswich will suffer that same fate with Liam Delap moving on in the summer. Perhaps a split in the division for European/Relegation like they have in Scotland and other leagues would make it 'slightly' more competitive and give the lesser sides more of a chance of staying up, at least not being pumped 4 or 5 week in week out.

What was the point in the meeting? May have well just realeased a statement saying what he wanted to say. Talks about trust, but won't be transparent to the wider fanbase on all the meeting?! what the............. No matter what the man says or does, he will never gain the trust of the fanbase as he's far too defensive.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Wilder dressed for the occasion and not had a shave. Scruffy git. Really wanna hear the myriad of excuses he has - Leeds have a bigger wage bill wibble wibble wibble ham sandwiches, 30 points in front of Wednesday. I want to see them get hammered today, really take it out of them and lose the semi final of the playoffs - fk em getting to Wembley and having a day out and hearing that prickk again.

Seems like it was invented for the slow starting teams to have a 2nd chance tbh. Call me old fashioned, but I much preferred the days before the CL group stages and it just being a straight knockout affair over 2 legs. Much more drama to be had when the big teams weren't quite at it.

Madrid's attacking play was so confusing, tryin at virtually every opportunity to cross for a centre forward that wasn't there - weird. Arsenal were much the better side over the 2 legs, took the steam out the tie in the first and defended (bar Saliba's howler) superbly tonight. Fancy they'll have a tougher task against PSG, but they are in with a real shout of winning it.

Great game to watch tonight, Villa gave it their all. One of the most watchable Champions League games in a while that, both teams wanting to play. First leg did for Villa really, was always going to be tough coming from 2 behind. Rashford was chalk and cheese from 1st to 2nd half, but in full flight when he's on it very good to watch. Looking a great semi final line up, still the possibility of a Classico final if Madrid turn it around tomorrow.

- complete lack of an apology to the players and staff for having not been paid when they were supposed to be (again). - bemoaning the fact he cannot get money into the club despite having an option to take £5m from Southampton and let a manager leave who likely didn't want to stay owing to his catastrophic ownership. It's a PR spin for him nothing more, we've been here countless times haven't we.

Ah this is going to be a sweet end to the season if they fk this up, and it's looking odds on. Burnley to win promotion against them would be the cherry on the cake before the playoffs. Serves that gurning tvvat right, hope he gets canned if they don't go up.

I'm glad he's speaking openly and honestly regardless of what the summer brings. DC should be thoroughly embarrassed that he's let slip the best opportunity we've had since CC to push for top 6. Whether it's Southampton or Leicester, he deserves better than what he's been dealt after what he's given.

Domino effect is all the chippies in Rovrum closing.

Most pleasing thing for me tonight was that we pushed and looked for more goals finishing the game. If we can refine that through qualifying and take it into a WC, we'll at least give ourselves a reasonable chance of going deep in the tournament. Felt the changes to the wide players were effective and done at the right time. TAA may have a hard time getting back in as Reece James was excellent tonight, complete unit defensively, and as a heck of a free kick on him. Good start.

Be good to see us go foot to the floor now the game is won. Turn it on a bit, shoot on sight.

Cracking move for that goal. All on point with the passing and players running on, great stuff!

Needs a few changes to freshen it up. Really difficult with how Latvia are playing and slowing the game down at every opportunity, we need someone to run at the fullbacks a bit more. Give Foden another crack.

Felt there was more positive than negatives tonight, we looked a bit more potent going forwards and I reckon there's a lot more to come. Just read that Dan Burn at 32 is the oldest debutant since Kevin Davies, shame he's not the other side of 30 as he looked really assured for us. Positives - Lewis-Skelly having a solid debut. - CB pairing looked imposing, Burn also a real handful on set pieces. - Davies looked decent as the game progressed. - Bellingham having the room to actually play at his own pace and find people. - Kane doing his usual thing. Negatives - Didn't keep the pace of the game at an uncomfortable level for us to really take charge before the 2nd. - Rashford & Foden could (and should) have given us more out wide and not had us relying too much on balls through the middle. Good result, Albania are a solid enough side at international level these days.

Typical non event final until the goal. Liverpool will surely be better 2nd half, hope Newcastle get it over the line tbh.

Game told the story of our season really, failed to capitalise when given chances. I thought we were much better than the game at their place, gave it a real go first 20 minutes however they controlled the possession with better players than we have. Our key men weren't up to their usual high standards, Bannan, Charles and Gasamma have been key contributors for us this season. Disappointing goal to lose the game with, Bannan losing possession and our transition defensively was not good - Beadle palming the ball and Valentin leaving his man unmarked. Not going to hammer the lads, they put a shift in, but ultimately we've lost to a side that are likely to finish top 2. I think we've now missed top 6, but look at how far we've come in 12 months. We'll need some quality recruitment in the summer to push on or we'll recess again, a long term partner for Bannan's last year or two is a must, as is a striker. I gave Ryo MoM, shows great balance and good, intelligent passing on the left. Smith also put in a real shift.

You can slightly understand more experienced players being given a recall with a number of younger players in the squad - however when you want a recall for an ageing pro, you'd really like that to be of the ilk of Paul Scholes not Jordan Henderson. For Rashford to get back in is a bit of a ******** take, a few games of looking alright for Villa and he's back in? Limited options on the left I suppose. Kyle Walker goes to play out his days in Milan, clearly not as quick or the athlete he perhaps once was, also in. I like Curtis Jones, hope he gets some decent game time.

Can't believe he's going. ffs.

Sometimes you open a thread you wish wasn't real. Bless you sir. Thoughts with his family & friends x

1986 final. Liverpool v Everton - Liverpool had already won the league and Everton finished as runners up. I was born and living in Hull at the time, the fashionable thing to do was support Liverpool - most kids had the Crown Paints Liverpool shirt, but I bucked the trend and followed Everton, complete with my NEC top. Everton led at HT through a Lineker goal, but ultimately lost the game to Ian Rush *2 and Craig Johnston goals. Cup finals back then were so much more than they are now, whole day coverage on the TV with so much going on, full of pomp and ceremony. Brilliant watching, unlike the sanitised bore fests you have to put up with now. My favourite as a kid was the following year's final between Coventry City and Tottenham Hotspur, 3-2 to Coventry, Houchen diving header one of my favourite FA Cup goals and Coventry winning ruined a long standing Monty Python's joke. I'm glad I was around to witness that era of football before the money really took hold and ruined it.

The mentality of how the Glazers have continued to run the club is mind boggling poor. Servicing the debt alone each season is costing them close to £70m, and they've arrived where they are now owing to so many poor transfer windows, then not rectifying (or even attempting to) those mistakes. I have some sympathy with the Man U supporter base who've effectively been priced out of watching their own team in favour of the casual/tourist fan. It's common across the whole of football to see the averaging working person having to be more selective with which games they choose or having to but a season ticket on finance and then suffering (as we all do) sitting in a delapidated stadium whilst the entertainment on offer continues to decline. The soul of Man U is dying, no amount of money brings that back and you can rinse & repeat that same scenario for dozens of other clubs in England. It could still end up a lot worse for them at the rate of decline they are seeing, I genuinely think Amorim is already looking for an 'out' now he truly realises what he's got involved in.

Surely the crowd is about to set the world record for most relatives in attendance together.