Ashberry

Ole's cracking up.

Marco's first words to me were 'I'll get you the Algarve Corner Cup'

The system needs fine tuning, I'd rather keep the match referee out of video replay because many of the decisions are so contentious. I'd say have a jury of three video referees and if all three agree then they overrule the match referee's call. This way the referee has authority unless there is something clear that he has missed, there won't be the breakup of play and there also won't be the teams begging the ref to review VAR

While Abramovich is tightening the purse strings I'm not sure that he is becoming fed-up as such. It was only a season ago Conte won the league. He always intended for the club to be self sufficient and in recent seasons investment has reduced with the sale of players to help balance the books. It will help our chances of continued CL presence if this continues to be the case but with Abramovich he could decide to go get yet another top manager and buy another title. While it would be good if Chelsea's period of success is over, I won't be counting my chickens.

People saying it would be a similar appointment to Wenger forget that Wenger won the french league with Monaco.

Arsenal have United between the two legs. Unbelievable they get to play both City and Arsenal at times when they will have other priorities.

Well considering suarez'name was tarnished through the FA's 'balance of probabilities' I would say on that balance, that considering nobody else heard anything then he was making it up to avoid a red card and he did act maliciously.

The entire Suarez situation was a farce. The FA with their kangaroo court deciding to do something because they were too scared to do nothing and be seen to condone racism. They were only ever going to find Suarez guilty in order to save their own backs.

I have no idea what he get's by revealing this to the media. An easy ride when he fucks up next?

The infuriating thing is that there is a highly competent centre back somewhere in him. He shown that when he was at Southampton. 2013/14 season there was a lot of talk about using the services of Steve Peters, a leading sport psychologist. Typical we stop using him when we bring Lovren in.

Surely a ban on transfers of injured players could stop these players that go on strike, but aren't on strike situations

Sounds like the players were dragged away during their celebrations, understandable for Jones and Blind though, they might not win anything more in their careers.

Every Southampton fan knew that Van Dijk was hugely likely to leave this summer especially since the January transfer window when he was photographed in a city shirt. I know a few saints fans that were actually made up when he got injured as it would keep him out of the shop window. The whispers going around were all £50m in the summer. Seemed like we became the player's chosen suitors with Chelsea, man city not interested and with reports stating 'Van Dijk tells Liverpool he wants to join them'. Giving us the bargaining power with a want away player, when Southampton wanted a bidding war. Southampton's accusations of tapping up were then just to restore bargaining power and have the ball back in their court. I honestly believe the apology and supposed withdrawing of interest was calling Southampton's bluff as now they have a player that wants to leave and nobody to buy him. For the record, I do not believe Chelsea's genuine interest as the report of them wanting the player came out of Italy in order to turn the hand of Napoli in Chelsea's interest in Koulibaly. Southampton paint the image of any player leaving to be the bad guy and that the club was forced to sell. However the reality is that the club have to sell players in order to buy players however blaming the player detracts from negative attention from the boardroom and owners. The sale of Van Dijk will provide funds for many saints signings this summer with it possible that they would look at bringing in two centre backs as they did not replace Jose Fonte in January and with no replacement lined up to come in when the season finished, which I think shows the precarious situation Southampton are in. Needing to sign potentially two centre backs would likely mean Southampton would have to act somewhat quick with a sale of Van Dijk. We are right to hold back from bids or interest as I do not think Southampton can just name a price. The longer this goes on the stronger we will be in talks. Van Dijk has stripped anything relating to Southampton from twitter and looks unlikely to be willing to stay at st marys. 70m is crazy money and I can't see any other team wanting to sign a player for that much when the player would rather be at Liverpool. I genuinely think the longer we leave this, the chance we get the player for what we want to pay is increasingly likely. No way will Southampton go into the start of the season with none of their own signings and also a Van Dijk that won't commit.

This is the problem with referenda. Progressive policy cannot be passed. A rise in fuel or alcohol duty would never pass if it was put to referendum. Similar would have been the abolition of capital punishment and smoking ban in pubs and restaurants, both unpopular laws when passed. Thatcher even said that 'referendums are a device for dictators and demagogues, which speaks volumes.

Players completely lack any passion. A Gerrard or Suarez would not put up with such frustrating performances and would of got themselves sent off. While I dont want our players getting red cards or giving away pointless fouls, these bunch of spineless losers don't even seem bothered. Doesn't matter how bad they play the team still picks itself cos our bench is just horrendous and offers very few options at all.