Got to leave gaps for the European run
We're going to lose the play-off, everyone knows that.
Have you got over the loss of games on Christmas Day yet? Or playing the same opponents on consecutive days, home & away, over Xmas?
Sending kids up chimneys was no doubt considered part of “the traditional fabric of English” society once. As were bear-baiting, cock-fighting, witch-dunking, and lots of other lovely traditional activities that most people are glad have been consigned to the dustbin of history.
For someone who professes to have progressive political views, you ain’t half a rabid conservative when it comes to any change in football…
I'm pretty sure none were scheduled for Boxing Day last year either, but several were moved to fulfill our insatiable desire for more football on TV.
Any change, or just crap change?
Difficult to tell. Your “crap change” list is pretty exhaustive. Maybe for balance, give a couple of examples of recent changes you think are good?
To be fair the direction of travel for a considerable time has been crap.
Although I'm not too fussed about playing Boxing Day games or not.
Everyone just moans whenever the games are around Christmas.
Christmas Eve, moan, not on Boxing Day, moan, early/late kick off on Boxing Day, moan…….
The move to club based structures "DoF", versus manager based structures.
Goal line technology.
Increased substitutions and a larger match day squad to choose from - I'd go to rolling subs.
Sightings where refs miss things, appeal where they get them wrong.
Seated stadiums, improved match day safety, better facilities, fencing down.Things I'm not in favour of: corporate ownership of community assets, financial doping, reduction in competition and spectacle, delay of game, devaluing traditional competition, practices, and neutralising the traditional strength of the pyramid, prioritising external commercial interests over attending fans, spreading the fixtures around the calendar reducing accessibility and impacting the integrity of the game, advantages given to money and big clubs to asset strip smaller clubs, financial doping of fees and wages, illegal payments to players, rule changes that make the game worse and ungovernable, crap interpretations of the law and referees.
I mean, its hardly my fault that most changes are for the worse.
Chelsea falling apart. Leading 1-0 on 60 minutes, 2-1 down after 70 with Nicolas Jackson sent off for an absolutely horrible studs up challenge 4 minutes after he came on to replace the largely ineffective Delap.
They've conceded a third. Good. I hope they get no money for it.
Delap after his sub appearance in the first game was being talked of as the next 100 cap England legend. Still might be but sounds like today's game will stall the talk a bit at least.
Will it fuck.
Chelski are an extremely expensive collection of top prospects, but a really terrible football team for their ability.
No, I don't enjoy watching teams follow a process irrespective of outcome. I like to watch sports where teams or individuals use in game knowledge and tactics to adjust how they apply their physical and technical skills, to try to beat their opponent. Not some sort of limp pastiche of an athletics meet trying to set personal bests with no concession to what is being faced.
What else do you expect from Talkback?
I have a list....
