Barrington Womble

It's a big game this for both teams. I'm not looking forward to it too much. Firstly because there seems a bit of overconfidence in our fanbase. Despite their problems, they're going to be no push over. It's not like they've got 10 key players missing. Secondly, while our results are good, I'm not really enjoying how we play. It's one thing to rope-a-dope dopes like Chelsea at home. It's quite another to try and do it away to the biggest shithouse team in the league. I really hope we have a little bit more intent on winning the ball back and winning 2nd balls than we did last week. I see a no score draw.

for me the positive part is they're talking. i think the last we heard is they weren't.

to be fair, the chewbacca defence is pretty good.

i read his words earlier (off the echo maybe). I don't think he indicates either way. The news here is the club are talking to him - the rest of what he says is he feels fine (physically and form), who knows what the future brings, he's focusing on playing and if there's news, the press will be told. I wouldn't expect him to say "we're talking, there's no problem, I will sign".

He had a poor game yesterday for sure - but he seems like one of those players who's more end product than 90 minute contributions. I didn't think any of their players played well. I didn't think too many of ours did either like. Everything about Chelsea is counter attack and if you stop that, it's game over as they seem to need space to create chances.

I agree they have a chance of top 4. For similar reasons man united got top 4 the year we beat them 7-0. They were fucking shite too.

They might be on to something if both decisions weren't correct.

I didn't like it either. It was like we were trying to rope-a-dope them. I think we thought if we held our shape, they couldn't hurt us - which to be fair was about right. And they're such a shambles at the back, we'd get a goal. But that style of play just shut our crowd down. We got away with it today imo, because they're shit. There'll be days where we need the crowd and this passive style just shuts us down. But it's 3 points and top of the league..so deffo first world problems at this point.

It's tough to see dreams shattered in such a way.

Unless there's big turnarounds, Ipswich and Southampton look completely gone to me. Ipswich have had some close games before their last couple. They have some tidy players, but too many of their main players are hopelessly out of their depth at this level. Morsey and Phillips were shocking today. It feels the gap between the leagues is getting bigger. Personally I think these managers desperate to put style over substance are playing a big part. None seem willing to dog it out like Dyche would.

Yeah, I've watched that game this afternoon. As much as I've hoped Ipswich have it in them, this is too big a leap for them. That was men against boys there today. There was quite a few of those Ipswich players looked like they didn't want to be there.

Yeah, agreed - our interest was driven by cost, not what he'd do on the pitch. It's just a gambled, roll the dice and there could be a very big upside if he regains the form and levels of fitness pre his big injury. Worst case is he hasn't cost a lot - but as I mentioned before, fills a gap (and a non-homegrown place) in the squad, which perhaps damages you later when trying to alter the squad. I think players in his position always struggle though when they've had no preseason - see Melo.

I'd take 50 games over 2 years right now. The thing is, there's not really any such thing as a luxury backup, unless they're in their mid 30s and have to manage their game times. Lads who are never fit, are never there when you want them. And if they're luxury footballers, when they're fit you probably want them in the team. The comparisons to Shaq are interesting in so much that was exactly what was wrong with him. When he was fit, he was a useful addition, but too often we couldn't call on him when we needed him. And when players like that use up one of your squad seats, it's a big problem.

Yeah and even at the end when they met, you could hear it in his voice.

I binged Four Kings on Amazon yesterday, a documentary about Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis. I really enjoyed it - and while I remember the racist place British sport could be at the time (they briefly go back as far as Alan Minter in 1980), I hadn't realised boxing had been so. I guess I was either too young to notice, or the general toxicity in society meant it didn't really stand out. 8/10.