Cornish Steve

Maybe it's time for tee.

It's definitely a playable ball.

Creative ideas, but not the answer. The ball is not split, is in bounds, is clearly visible, and is not touching anything like a rake.

That's pretty much my sentiment as well.

You most definitely saw your ball.

In a golf game, you hit the ball well but it lands in a bunker. You walk over, see your ball, and realize that, according to the rules of golf, you must forfeit a shot and start over from the tee. What did you see?

(3) No goal. The penalty taker cannot kick the ball a second time unless it's been touched by another player.

Am I naive or what? Wasn't expecting that.

In the spring of 2012, Wigan beat Arsenal and Liverpool away, ManU and Newcastle at home. They lost 2-1 at Stamford Bridge after giving up two goals that were clearly offside. There's real hope for Everton to beat these teams in the coming season.

What about defence? Shouldn't the team plan for the future by bringing in cover for players whose ages are creeping up?

Honestly, I wouldn't want to suggest players. I'd feel like those old-school punters in 'Moneyball', sitting around a table discussing average-midling players as if they had some magic insight - while complaining about lack of funds. Instead, Billy Beane came up with a strategy and chose some of the most unlikely players to build a winning team. I don't have details of the strategy or the player profiles that RM must have come up with, but I trust his approach. I have no doubt that we'll question some of his transfer decisions, but what matters is results - especially results during the second half of the season.

What's the goal? To do well next year by pursuing and sticking to a strategy? Or is it simply to reduce the average age of the squad? What matters is strategy. There's no point bringing in only young players if they don't fit with the overall strategy I would anticipate purchases both younger and older, but they will be consistent with the RM approach.

The more threads I read on this topic, the more I can see my clear hope for the coming season: Moyes achieved sixth place by trying to not lose; Martinez could achieve sixth place by trying to win. It's a big difference, because the latter strategy builds the momentum needed to break into the top four in future seasons.

If you read the strategy article posted today in the general discussion area, you'll understand more why Alcaraz would be a solid acquisition. In business, companies succeed by formulating a winning strategy and then making all decisions consistent with that strategy. It has to be the same in football, right? Once your strategy is in place, all in and out transfers, all loans, all training drills, all preparation games, all team selections, all game reviews, etc. must be consistent with your strategy. Once you drift from it, you lose focus. Issues such as average team age, transfer fees, fan perceptions, and player strengths and weaknesses, while important, should always be secondary considerations. A well-considered and consistent strategy is what matters most.

"That is to say if the coaching qualifications run by the English FA to not allow for a Manchester United coach to use his preferred 3-5-2 formation during his A License prep course and then being instructed he had to use a 4-4-2 formation, then unfortunately at the highest levels of England’s coaching qualifications, overloads are (to a certain extent) overlooked all together." Typical "regulation" stifling progress and creativity!

The truth is that RM is responsible for this philosophy at three of the teams mentioned. Rogers inherited the Swansea approach from RM and then took it with him to Liverpool.

Can the decision be challenged in court, I wonder?

But it's not as simple as that. These players, who earn phenomenally large sums of money, are role models - whether we (or they) like it or not - and that carries certain responsibilities. It's right that Luis Suarez is criticized for his behaviour, and the same was true for Balotelli at ManC. Some things are more important than the team someone plays for. Children, in particular, idolize these players. If this story is true, and the detail in the article certainly implies that, then it's fair game for Distin to face the public consequences.

Why should the linesman have to be replaced? That sends exactly the wrong message. If the first female "assistant referee" had taken too much flak, surely the answer wouldn't have been to replace her. Incidentally, this is a fun one when playing organized youth sports in the US. The referee can send the guilty spectators from the match location. I've seen the police being called and people carted off before now.

Shock. Horror. You mean I can't believe all I read?

The best response is for them to go unbeaten all season and replace ManC Ladies as they are relegated.

It's a different type of eye test, admittedly, but too.

Because of the following rule: "The Laws stipulate that an own goal cannot be scored directly (i.e. without any other player touching the ball) from a throw-in, free kick (direct or indirect), corner kick, or goal kick. Should the any of these situations occur, a corner kick is instead awarded to the attacking team." Jonathan Walters displayed his talent for own goals by scoring in his own net direct from a free kick. Correctly, the referee declares it is not a goal and awards a corner to the opposing team.

It's one of the principal stories on the BBC website, so it's not just maverick papers. I take the point that some make about Baines' age and therefore take good money now; however, that assumes that a younger player has been groomed to step right in. That's not the case here, is it?

Someone ran this very test past me about ten years ago. I'm such a stickler when it comes to word and number puzzles and arrogantly assumed that I would not be caught out. I was very careful in counting 'F's; however, as stated earlier, the brain processes 'OF' as a separate unit. I simply couldn't believe that I failed the test! Still, it did me good. Hopefully, I'm a little less arrogant about these things now - although my wife would contest that!