Premier League — Matchweek 32

Palace are destroying Man City.

Some excellent controlled play be them. Surprised me with how comfortable they all appear to be on the ball.

Oh dear City. Was that a penalty though?

Another Machester club looking for a centre back in the summer?

There's no fear in this Palace team. They are just out running, out playing City. Pep being out coached.

Inches away from 3-0!

Exactly Liam. No fear. No respect.

Kevin de Bruyne though. He might be in histwighlight, but the best attacking midfielder we've seen in years.

2-2.

Entertainment all round.

2-2!

What a turnaround! Pep no longer being out coached 🤣

A game lasts 90 minutes plus and all that.

Man City looking on top now.

3-2 City.

Maybe they should have played with fear and 10 men behind the ball like David Sean Dyche-Moyes

5-2 now...

Think I'll be hiding behind the sofa next weekend!

Arsenal latest team to have a feme toone before kick off, Forest today Mull of FKinMichaelMcintyre, several Hey Jude’s , that take me home Man U dirge, all trying to emulate the R/S.

Let’s not go down that road,please.

Jeff # 10. I'm a big fan of the can-can music Bayern Munich play when they score. Its weirdly rousing. Would like to hear us do something a bit more imaginative / something with real character at the new stadium. Leave 1960s dirges to the RS.

Robert maybe we do the can-can tune, but with all the players actually doing the can-can!

it’s a bit bad manners to the opposing team though isn’t it?they might bust a blood vessel.

Wasn't Can a German band? They should just play Can music.

I fucking hate Mull of Kintyre. Fucking ruined my Xmas in 1978.I still have nightmares of the three of them around the fire and those twats in kilts invading TOTP with the worst screeching sound of all time.

Country Roads is just bizarre. Salford spice.

Nice one Jeff.

Sat next to him once. He was a total gobshite.

Had forgotten about Tierney

Paul # 14, totally agree.

Almost bad as Local Hero - that utter shit Newcastle come out to.

Fuckin he’ll PF 15,can’t have been much room for you, bet he had his legs apart too😂

That was nasty from Norgaard.

Tierney would be a big improvement on Myko next season

Cringe Robert when they played that after the final whistle at Wembley, shirts twirling, bellies bulging.

The one memorable time was Hibs fans and Leith after beating Rangers in the cup. Still watch that. Spine tingling.

He was in denim shorts and stunk like a skunk Jeff.

It’s just Bad Manners Paul, no excuses for denim shorts or not showering!

They were playing a post-fame gig at York Uni Jeff. Tell you who were great there another time, Jo Boxers. Cool lads. Good dancers.

One of the best underrated live bands I saw where the Stray Cats. (Arsenal game a bit boring!)

They had some rockabilly-cred if I remember and a drop dead gorgeous front man (apparently).

Brian Seltzer I think, and Slim Jim (Pearson?) on double bass.

Think Arteta has gone too Madrid on his selection here. Needs to spice things up.

Great stuff by Rice (and Raya) and great finish.

Fantastic Bees goal!

Oh great, they do the hug too.

87 minutes 1-1, Arsenal fans streaming out.

Maybe they are off to catch planes and coaches to, Madrid Jeff? Maybe not.

Well done, Bees. What a fine club they have become.

Get well soon Eddie Howe. Speedy recovery.

Danny #5,

"Exactly Liam. No fear. No respect."

No points... battered!

He was Slim Jim McDonnell (now Phantom) and he married Britt Ekland.

The Teardrop Explodes - Reward would get everyone up on their feet when we score.

Might take the edge off it when VAR takes 10 minutes to decide to allow it or not though.

Andy 37, he's now called Slim Jim Phantom?

Goway! Never.

Yes Brendan. It soon went downhill for the Eagles! As I said, and like we experienced yesterday, a game of football isn't finished until… well, it's finished!!

I see the Man Utd keeper has not just been dropped, but is not even in the squad for the match against Newcastle this afternoon.

I don't think we'd do it, but I could see an approach for Pickford in the summer.

If Ipswich lose today, then that's it, they can't catch us.

It would take something out of this world for us to lose six games on the bounce, them to win six games on the bounce and overturn a 30+ goal difference in our favour.

And Ipswich take the lead. 😂😂😂

Other games going our way too... so far.

One less goal for them to worry about, Rob!!

2-0. 😬😬😬

Ipswich playing with no fear... let's hope it collapses like it did with Palace yesterday! 🤣

Ipswich can win all their remaining games and still won't finish above us.

Did Cucurella just give the Ipswich fans a V-sign then?

My Chelsea cousin is fuming. They seem to have it in their grasp and choke.

Other results going our way with West Ham and big club Tottenham behind.

Is it wrong to want Newcastle to beat Manchester United? I'll let Rob answer that one.

We go above Man Utd if they lose, Danny.

So I think you know the answer to that one! 😁😁

I assume we are alright with Villa in the Top 5? The whale makes me about as uncomfortable as the House of Saud.

Never liked Chelsea except for Di Matteo's run. Would either Skunks or Chelsea be preferred to Forest?

Managers to be sacked at the end of the season?

1. Postecoglou
2. Maresca
3. van Nistelrooy

Any others?

I don't want the Skunks to finish in the Top Five, Curt.

Nothing against any other teams vying to finish up there.

It's going to be them and Arsenal, probably Man City.

Then I'd like to see Forest, and of course Villa.

Chelsea pull one back twenty seconds into the second half.

Watch Ipswich collapse.

Rob!

My 4th son could possibly be in Liverpool on 25 May.

With the poo set to play their last game that day, is it advisable to even bother? Will the city be awash with red and so busy it might be best to swerve?

We're trying to figure out if he should just go to Dublin and skip Liverpool because of the hullabaloo that Liverpool will be in that day?

Thoughts?

Maresca is a yes man, so I've heard from Chelsea fans.

So Boehly could keep him if they make the Champions League.

Jamie, two words…..

Don't bother!!

Chelsea 2-2.

Oh Andy… what did you do?

Jamie, join the Emerald Everton Supporters Club. They meet in Slattery's on Capel Street, Dublin to watch the match.

You'll avoid the influx of daytrippers and tourists.

Okay!

Thank You, Rob and Danny!

Rob, my apologies, but for today I am a huge Skunks fan.

There is nothing... NOTHING... I want more right now than to finish above Man United.

Hate 'em. Hate 'em.

Jamie...I'd advise a couple of tablets and a bottle of scotch. Wake up on the Monday

Chelsea still in a Champions League spot.

Jamie spit the dog turncoat didn't get what he was desperate for, a Salah goal. Don't get me wrong, I know it's professional, but how can you change your colours to that degree? Even if I'd have played for them, I couldn't change. Alien to me.

Van Dijk kicks his own player in the head, who scored an own-goal. They still win courtesy of the Saint. I'm going to ignore them. It raises my blood pressure.

Hoping for a Man Utd win.

I can't stand Newcastle Utd.

Phil #52,

Not sure about the sack, but I think Silva, Frank and McKenna will be in line for the Spurs job (along with a few foreign managers).

Iraola and McKenna will be in line for the Chelsea job (again, along with a few foreign managers).

That could mean quite a lot of change in the Premier League — with new untested managers in a number of different positions (and some decent managers stepping up to the challenge of much bigger clubs).

Not a bad time to have a sensible head like Moyes in charge.

I am not sure whether Pereira, Hurzeler or Potter will last the whole of next season either but I don't think they'll be sacked this summer.

There is also a chance we may yet see more change at City and even Arsenal and Man Utd (again).

I want us to finish as high as possible so Newcastle to win this for me.

I don't really care about who does or doesn't finish in Champions League places that much.

Although it's not a lot to play for, I'm only interested in Everton's position.

I'm not sure about the Ipswich manager. Feels like a Martinez like shout. An up-and-coming manager from another tier but, like Martinez, he's just been relegated.

Potter hasn't set the world alight since leaving Brighton.

A lot of these managers do when they leave the comfort zone of a well-run provincial club.

I give you Mike Walker.

At least a draw in the next two games, but I fancy we will do well against Citteh. Yesterday was about KVB giving a send-off. Don't think he will be the same level against us. 3 points to us?!

If Ipswich can get a draw at Chelsea, then hopefully David Moyes can do better. Expecting 2 points... wanting 6.

Besides Guardiola and Wenger, no coach has come into the Premier League and been able to dominate because of their overall total football principles, Danny.

Guardiola had all the money in the world and Wenger was simply an innovative genius.

The Premier League is a totally different animal, and you definitely need a lot more than fancy football if you want to succeed.

What a pass from Isak.

Tony #71, you wouldn't put Mourinho in that category? Granted he eventually descended into self-parody, but didn't he really change the psychological science of managing football?

The ball was in their 6-yard box a long time for no goal to happen.

And that was some fantastic work by Ugarte. Damn it.

Agree on both counts, Tony. Guardiola and Wenger for different reasons that you mention.

Man Utd looking at 6s and 7s at best, but get an equaliser against the run of play.

We could get 13th. Half of me would confer that an achievement given the dark months of December and early January.

But the real me feels depressed. Not good enough, but let's look forward.

What was all the Keegan stuff before the match? Did I miss something?

Paul #66,

An anti-Newcastle stance that a lot of TWers seem to share but, as I was a student in Newcastle for 3 years, I can tell you the people of the city are great, just like us Scousers.

I used to go watch even but they were crap, ended up bunking the train down to Hartlepool for a better game of footy.

Erik. I don't have a problem with 99% of Newcastle people.

Just the loons who think they're the biggest club in the world.

Another silly mistake gets another goal for Newcastle!

Nice blue shuffle into 13th looking down at Salford's finest and spuds

How much longer is that annoying Aussie going to be at Spuds?

Danny, we're in 13th now above 2 of the so called big 6. A few years ago, being ahead of these two would have meant we were probably in the top 4.

Something is very "weird" about Spurs. Their numbers don't make any sense.

A team with a GD of +11 should never, ever be in the bottom half, let alone 15th!

Something just doesn't add up with the goal differential for me.

Is what it is, but there's some anomaly at play.

You gotta laugh at man-u keepers

Hahaha…….one clown for another in the Man Utd goal. 🤡🤡🤡

And they've lost 17/32 games Jamie

Ah, the sheer pleasure of watching a Manure Meltdown.

It's like a sauna for the soul.

Forest are not gonna get CL next season are they?

Paul I know! That's what I mean. How do you, after 32 games, have a very positive GD and lose more than half your games?

I'm just saying I'd prob stick with the Aussie until 5-7 games in next season were I Spurs. I also know they've had injuries.

Something is "right" there but just "off" if you take my meaning?

Jamie, agreed, it's odd.
However, we finished the 2005 season in fifth with I think a -1 goal difference. We conceded 46? - would have been better if Arsenal hadn't scored 11 against us over their games...football, eh...

He won't last the summer JC, he's Alice Springs Bombers bound

Spurs are like all the smash bang wallop teams. When they're good, they're very good, but they need a big squad to cope with the way they play.

And the chairman won't spend to get that squad. Similar to Bielsa's Leeds, early RS under Klopp and early Newcastle under Howe. The cleverer coaches learn and adapt.

Fair to you both. Final comment before I clean up the back yard and garden in 73 degree, not a cloud in the sky weather:

How braindead are some footballers? The Newcastle player (blonde top fool) is an idiot.

You're up 4-1 and you're standing off with an opposing player? STFU, maintain class, and get off the pitch, moron. If you can't control yourself, a simple, "Look at the scoreboard" will do to make your point.

Dumby.

I wonder if we will ever buy Sean Longstaff

Wouldn't be surprised if we got him in the summer, Paul.

Would that be a good thing PT?

PT, I read somewhere that the average tenure for a PL manager is 26 months. Most get paid a lot longer than that. So a certain degree of cleverness seems to be embodied even in the most incompetent amongst 'em!

Re Longstaff, he's a fine player but I think we already have one of him in the person of James Garner. And IMO our top priority for new signings should be pace, which Longstaff lacks.

Amorin at Man U won't last until Christmas with his odd selections and subs. Ugarte, Mazzroui, Lindelof are awful, Yoro can't concentrate..

He takes off his best player and goalscorer Garnacho on 56 minutes and leaves a clearly finished Eriksen on for 90.

Robert, I agree. Why appoint Potter in Jan and then sack him in June.

Same goes for Amorin, especially all the money they paid to get him.

Pereira has earned another year. Admittedly he has only outperformed O'Niell by 4 points in the 16 matches compared to O'Niell in 2023-4 so he may be a favourite, especially with Cunha probably being sold.

Hürzeler has done better than the wonderman de Zerbi and he is only 32.

But other than the three I mentioned I can't see any others - at least before October.

Hello down there, United!!!

A CL team would be absolute nuts to appoint McKenna.

Bliss, it's getting better: radio "expert" just said there looks to a four-horse race to finish 17th between Wolves, Man-Utd, Spurs, and West-Ham

Point taken regarding pace, but I think Longstaff has a canniness our current midfield lacks. He'll be cheaper than many. Looks like a classic Moyes signing to me.

Longstaff reminds me of James McCarthy.

Decent squad player, probably a bit underrated by many of us.

Definitely a Moysey player Paul; do you think that he might bring Livramento with him? Any news on Eddie Howe? I hope he's well and over whatever it was.

Whatever happened to the other Longstaff? Remember when they started games together and the pundits went wild.

Matty playing for Toronto FC now after Mansfield and Colchester. One of my favourite cities. Lucky fella

Man Utd and West Ham are two very dysfunctional clubs with rich, thick owners who still think a big name coach is more important than sorting out the club as a whole.

Brexit Jim has spent a fortune hiring, keeping and firing big names, while jaking shockingly poor short-term decisions himslf. Now he wants my tax to pay for his stadium.

Irish fella on 606 just saying that he got a text from the club to tell him that he would be losing his season ticket because he has not been 15 times this season.

Just saw Newcastle set a record today for winning the ball back in final 3rd.

Not sure about winning it back - Utd we're just giving it them.

I think some rich clubs will look very favourably at what McKenna has done at Ipswich.

The comparison to Martinez seems fair. Brendan Rodgers and Vincent Kompany too.

It's clear that McKenna can set up an attack - and adopt a style suitable for Champions League team. What's not clear is whether he can organise a defence - and cut out the awful kamikaze goals against with better quality players.

Controversial, I know, but I reckon Dyche would have kept that talented Ipswich side up through shutting up shop.

Maybe we'll end up with McKenna in a couple of years after he's inevitably sacked by Chelsea or whoever?

And how did Martinez do after he left Wigan RT? I doubt very much that Chelsea would take a risk on McKenna. They have a poor record of hiring up-and-coming young managers (they should never have fired Poch) and McKenna is too raw for me and cannot set up a team to defend and it was a tad embarrassing seeing how many players he used in the first two months of the season. A full summer and he did not even know what his best team was. He looked out of his depth. Still does.

That said, he would win the Bundesliga if he went to Bayern. Our Vince is the Ringo Starr of European footy.

I would put Silva ahead of McKenna in the pecking order and I could see him at either Spurs or Chelsea next season.

I'm pretty sure that Poch would love to get back to the centre of things away from his current footy wilderness. I suspect that he would go back to Spuds if pig-headed Levy bit the bullet and offered him a competitive salary.

Host country manager for the World Cup is footy wildnerness?

He'll have more cameras pointed at him next year than any other manager in the world. His choice of profile jobs after that no matter how the US perform.

I almost feel for Amorim. A bit like Everton managers of recent years, he's dealing with the circus around him. No reference to the design for their proposed new stadium intended, but maybe apt.

I stopped blaming managers at Everton, within reason, several years ago. The conditions in which they've operated under set them up for failure.

Man Utd feel like that right now. A dysfunctional club with a dysfunctional team. A collection of players rather than a cohesive team.

I don't think the Tottenham manager will start next season and Chelsea's erratic owners could do anything. It will be an interesting summer. Will Pep stick or twist? What happens if Arteta's Arsenal start to show signs of falling short again? Will Thomas Frank decide to leave the comfort of Brentford for a new challenge? Will Marco Silva fancy another crack at the big time if offered? Which emerging European coaches fancy their chances in the Premier League?

All questions, no answers.

Mike, will your government let anyone in for the World Cup?

No problem, PT, as long as they don't come through the other two host countries, Mexico and Canada. By next summer, we'll be mobilizing military against at least one of the two.

Teams coming from Mexico City to New York will probably have to fly via our new Greenland Vance International Airport.

Mike it would be interesting if the US gets to play Mexico or Canada, if either of them have qualified. Vance International Greenland Airport? Don't give them ideas!🙂🙂

Don't Mexico and Canada qualify as hosts PT? I hope so as I would love to see either one or both smash these US.

PF (104), which club is that? Did he let someone else use it or just leave the seat empty? I can see that clubs won't want to encourage non-attendance due to the embarrassment of empty seats and also because they want the chance you'll buy some drinks / food whilst you are there.

15 seems quite a high threshold but is it that difficult to arrange for the seat to be filled? Supporters have to realise this is a changed world and they can't secure their ‘cherished' status simply by having enough money to secure a season ticket when there are thousands more who'd do the same and make sure the seat was never empty.

It was funny / weird to see the massed ranks of POTUS and his coven at UFC in Miami last night. They must have loved the bouts. Brazilians, Mexicans, an Australian and a scouser showing their dominance. I think the only US competitor was the one Paddy Pimblett completely dismantled in 3 rounds.

Sorry Si, I forgot to mention it, but I bet you have your suspicions. Manchester Utd of Salford mate.

Nice spot on POTUS.

Paul # 107, I would describe Martinez as having a pretty good career after Wigan. Obviously no silverware but close at Everton and on the international stage. Some obvious weaknesses but had he been backed financially at Everton who knows?

As for McKenna, he looks every inch a Spurs manager in waiting to me (not necessarily a compliment). But he does stand a chance with Chelsea (because they make weird managerial positions, not necessarily because he deserves it).

Had we stuck with Dyche to the end of the season, I'd have fancied McKenna for us. That's not to say I believe he would have performed better than Moyes – but because McKenna plays the sort of front-foot football associated with Champions League clubs. And I fancied that as a bit of a tonic. Moyes is probably a more sensible choice for the next couple of years though.

Thanks for that, Robert. Definitely agree about the much-needed tonic (!) but we need stability at the back too and McKenna might be too close to Silva before Silva developed.

I think that the present fella might be one too many weird appointments for Chelsea RT. I have to agree that McKenna looks all Spursy and might get the usual 2 years there. I think that Spurs will move for Silva (who I would definitely take back when Moyes leaves us in 2026) who is ahead of McKenna by some distance in Premier League experience and is doing a great job down there by the river.

McKenna is going to the very top and will get poached by a Premier League club in the summer. Spurs would be a good shout for him for sure, Robert.

I'd like us to have Silva back too. Let's hope we are an attractive proposition then to him and he's still at Fulham.

Without wanting to piss on anyone's chips, a defeat and results going other teams' way and we will quickly be back to 15th. But, we can get something against Manchester City next Saturday.

Only 3 points separating 13th - 17th. The battle for supremacy of the also-rans is warming up. God, I feel sad typing that!!

Geography geek warning. I always thought Old Trafford was in the Borough of Trafford Park, not Salford or the city of Manchester??

Why are you always so fucking negative and depressing, Danny?

Yes, Danny, the battle to be the best worst team in the Premier League is still on. Woop woop.

Robert, one of the Yank 'experts' said it was a four-horse race between Wolves, West Ham, Man Utd, and Spuds for 17th.

Get a grip Danny you negative doom and gloom xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxx

I think Spurs, given their current issues, will want a manager who can strike a better balance between defence and attack. Not sure McKenna's CV reflects that yet but I do see a great future for him in the game.

Silva, surely, a much more attractive proposition for them at present?

I'll snap out of it as we approach Saturday, Paul, and the real me will resurface.

I'll be so glad when this season is over and we can reset. Again, but this time there is a sense of genuine optimism.

I'm also glad that I'm visiting Germany the weekend of the last match. It means I won't get the opportunity to walk the 190 odd steps at St James' Park, but also that I can stay away from visiting the family and be subject to Satanic celebrations.

Going to Schalke, Danny?

Wow! 11th in Division-2

Some big teams in Bundesliga 2 this season.

Hamburg, Hertha Berlin, Cologne, Schalke, Nürnberg, Hannover.

Schalke average around 60 thousand fans even in lower division. Tickets like gold dust.

The season will be finished on 18 May, Paul.

They aren't mathematically out of the woods yet from the unthinkable prospect of dropping to the 3rd tier of German football and are sat 11th in Bundesliga 2. They are probably a win away from securing their 3rd season in the second league after a good "Ruckrunde" second half of the season after the winter break.

Hopefully they too can reset in the summer and push on for promotion. The Konigsblauen (Royal Blues) attract over 60,000 per week and belong in the Bundesliga.

Although I didn't pick Everton, I do choose them don't I?!!

Some support that. What happened?

Did they get a points deduction or penalty relegation?

I reckon we will win all 6 remaining games and finish 8th or 9th on 56 points……

Nurse, nurse? Help?

You're still in your City Ground euphoria, Neil.

Good to see in one so middle-aged, mate!

Danny #124,

It's the Borough of Trafford.

Trafford Park is also within the Borough.

They had a great academy and you can rattle off a top drawer team that came through their ranks.

Manuel Neuer, Kehrer who went to PSG, Howedes, who went to Juventus, Sane of Man City fame (his two brothers were also at the academy), Julian Draxler, Jens Lehmann, Ozil. Gundogan spent time there. The list goes on and a lot are from the local area.

It's often said that the purpose of an academy is to produce players for the first team or make money. They went to far the other way, selling off just about anyone decent to stave off financial difficulties, which almost bankrupt them.

Named after the northern district in their home city Gelsenkirchen and living in the shadow of their more successful neighbours, Dortmund (Klopp links, sing YNWA) and years of mismanagement. Sound familiar?!!

That's the spirit, Neil.

Middle-aged? He was teenage Neil stood next to me at Anfield!

Neil #135,

Is what Davey Moyes should have said...

Not the "Nurse, nurse" bit mind.

Paul, ha ha, yes mate I am. Fantastic day yesterday, even the 2 knobheads that threatened us couldn’t ruin it. They looked like Laurel and Hardy when I think about, it is probably just as well that thought didnt enter my head at the time or I maybe on a soup diet now!

Anyway, the blues were brilliant long may it continue and the teams around us continue to piss about.

I meant by concentrating on trying to win by playing total football, Mike@72.

I don't think this was always the case with Jose Mouriniho. I thought he could get his team to play in many different ways and was a lot more pragmatic than both Guardiola and Wenger.

Mourinho's first stint at Chelsea was indeed that ,Tony. They had some great individual players, but the style was adapted to the way he wanted to play.

There are other pragmatic examples over the years. George Graham's Arsenal, that gave rise to the "1-0 to the Arsenal" chant. Not the easiest on the eye, but they won.

And even Kendall showed pragmatism the season we had Lineker and changed our style to play to his strengths.

So, we need to lose every one of our next six games and concede plenty of goals and for Ipswich to win all theirs and we definitely stay in the Premier League.

I wonder where we would have been if Sean Dyche had not been ushered out? Would we will still be in the mix based on his average points per game?

Using www.footballwebpages.co.uk, their predicted final table would read as follows, (points on the board today)

16. Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 pts (35)
17. Everton 29 pts (38)
18. Ipswich Town 24 pts (21)
19. Leicester City 21 pts (18)
20. Southampton 10 pts (10)

Are there any Dyche fanatics still out in Toffee Lands, I wonder?

It's just not happening, Trevor, I've been comfortable since we hit 34. I actually think the Bottom 3 were nailed on to go down from around Christmas.

I'm not sure there were many "Dyche fanatics", well I don't know any. Respect for the last two seasons under difficult circumstances, but he lost us and the players as well as his own will as the first half of this season gradually deteriorated. Forgetting the results, it was the performances that left me numb.

Re the Dyche talk.

So frustrating to be 2-0 up at home to Bournemouth with 5 mins to go having battered them and losing 3-2. Equally losing 1-0 at Southampton.

With those 6 extra points and sitting 12th and a 7 point gap to relegation, would Dyche have remained our manager?

Sometimes you have to be grateful when bad things happen.

I think if Bournemouth lose tonight, that's probably leaving them too much to do to qualify for Europe, whereas a Fulham victory puts them right in the mix.

Phil, aside from the last day survival, we've not had too much joy out of Bournemouth. The 2 trips to the Vitality in 4 days to be defeated twice was pretty demoralising.

Trevor Powell 157:

"Are there any Dyche fanatics still out in Toffee Lands, I wonder?"

No, Trevor, and I don't think there ever were any at all. Bit of a daft question to end a post with, to be honest. Are you trying to score a point or something? There are more dodos around here than, erm, "Dyche fanatics".

I think that the Cherries are already out of a European place, Danny.

I like to watch Fulham because I want Silva to do very well. I also want Frank Lampard to do very well and Hull - Coventry might be the better match to watch, mate.

What a fecking howler by the Yank Robinson.

Paul,

I think that Dyche showed his full credentials in managing our club, maybe he possibly overstated them because the squad was actually better than he managed to make it look?

I rate him as possibly the worst manager that I have seen given a job in the Premier League and that he had proven that in every job that he was given.

I think it was fair to say that he actually gave up trying in the Everton job too – which was unheard of in management? He had support among Everton supporters though? Please tell me I'm wrong on that.

Where was our mistake in the Manager-go-Round? Was it Martinez or perhaps Silva?

How could we ever in a million years have hired Koeman, Benitez or Lampard when my local binman was available?

We as fans possibly forced all of the changes and accepted the replacements.

He did Martin. But I think that it was more in the nature of respect and admiration for the job he had done with such crappy tools – the line over and over again was that nobody would get a tune out of this crap squad. Well, Moyes proved that to be wrong and I always thought that it was such a lazy attitude.

They praised Dyche for keeping us up… forgetting that Dyche kept us up after Dyche created one of the worst situations in our history from that massive three-month winless streak. Dyche saved us from Dyche.

So, there we no "fanatics" to be seen anywhere Martin – a silly concept – but often grudging gratitude and respect.

I do not feel the need to have gratitude to Dyche. Not one drop. Don't get me wrong, I said "Well done" when he did something well. But all the way through his too-long tenure, I felt embarrassed to have him in our hot seat.

Embarrassed… Those hideous pressers.

With you on Silva, Paul. We fired too soon. Knee jerk, panic, or to coin a military phrase, negligent discharge?

Keeping an eye on both matches tonight.

Still sad to read about Super Kev and the report of his inquest: that he died of "natural causes"; that he had a long -term heart condition that was not diagnosed; and that he caught pneumonia in hospital.

I can't track down the video on Youtube where Super Kev is having a real go at some shitty reds who were mocking him the day after we lost to them. I'm certain that "kopites are gobshite" was one of the things he was shouting at them.

RIP

Completely agree, Danny.

I would love Silva to follow Moyes.

Frank 1-0 up at Hull.

I would love him to come to the Dock next season with Coventry. He would get a good reception.

Looking at the remaining fixtures for those who, numerically at least, can be above the drop zone, I can see the following being possible. The others out of reach.

Palace 49pts
Everton 47pts
Man U 46
West Ham 42
Ipswich 25

Always the optimist, of course.

Yeovil leading Forest Green 1-0. Nothing special about that, but the Yeovil goal was scored by Blu-Lo Everton. What a great name! 💙💙