Zoo 2.0

It's actually amazing how terrified the FA and Premier League are of the ''Big 6''.

It's people taking the piss because he went on the radio and called Mazepin a dickhead for ignoring blue flags, F1 didn't seem to catch on and awarded him DOTD .

I expect them to move to the coach park, apparently there are hundreds outside the Lowry Hotel where both clubs are staying, apparently neither clubs have left for the ground yet due to the protest. I've been following the build-up this and 10,000 are expected to turn out so think that this is just the beginning. The protestors will be there throughout the game and after the final whistle, it actually wouldn't surprise me if a few of them try and get onto the pitch during the game itself to cause scenes and get on TV.

Indeed, protestors at the ground have breached the gates and are currently in the ground and on the pitch. It all seems peaceful(ish) at the moment, however one of the videos shows a flare being thrown onto one of the massive posters that most clubs have on their seats during Covid. I just hope it doesn't turn violent, as that would just make the whole thing a thugs day out as opposed to trying to remove people like the Glazers, FSG and Kroenke's from the clubs that they hold power in. The game might not be postponed, as I expect the police to be in there shortly but of course there will be a delay to the KO. Edit:

Neither is Delph.

I assume (and hope) you're on the wind up?

He's joining Barcelona, he's very good friends with Lionel Messi and it's been reported that he's been talking to them for months, I'd be surprised if it wasn't already a done deal tbh.

Don't want to talk to soon, but Pickford has been outstanding so far.

Lukaku's final season where he was pushing to put himself in the shop window was insane, he had absolutely everything and I honestly thought that he was going to go and make himself into a world-class player. He was criminally mismanaged by Manchester United, making him bulk up and hold up the ball rather doing what he was good at and running behind the defensive line turned him into an easy target for fan disapproval. I'm made up with the money we got for him, but there is a part of me that's a little sad he never pushed on after leaving us - though glad that he does seem to have found some form in Milan. While I'm here, enjoy 15 minutes of Romelu tearing it up in a blue shirt.

Totally agreed, however we may have to get used to it. I thought that it may be the case and the rumours are gathering pace that Mazepin's father wants to buy out Gene Haas, so if this is true will be another Lance Stroll situation (another driver who, despite being better than Nikita gets no backing from me). Gene has been disinterested in the sport for a while (the Netflix documentary really hinted that Steiner was working with a hand behind his back) and apparently Mazepin's father was close to buying Force India when they were heading into administration, so much so that he even tried to take Lawrence Stroll to court over the fact that he in the end won the bidding. I do wonder how much interest the Mazepin's will have when they're a good 2 seconds behind the pace, constantly being lapped under blue flags and being trolled on social media.

It's gathering pace, but as you say it all stems from the source that should not be named. The fact that some outlets are saying that it's a done deal because we're house hunting doesn't really mean much to me either - we'd do that during any negotiations, and probably have a whole department that deals with that kind of thing. Doesn't necessarily mean that anything is close or confirmed IMO. That said, would be really excited if this one did come off.

Don't want to jinx it and say that it won't happen, but Manchester United desperately need a centre back and have decided to renew Eric Bailly's contract rather than spending decent money on one. I'd be very surprised if they then went and threw £100m at Calvert-Lewin, considering the Glazers clearly do not want to spend money. If this was Manchester City then yeah, maybe the story has legs but I just can't see United spending big cash, especially if they bring in Sancho. They'll probably move Martial to centre forward and/or Mason Greenwood. Edit: Forgot to mention that £80m would pay for Calvert-Lewins socks and shinpads, with the way the market is (especially around English players) I'd start the bidding at £150m.

Not as crazy as it sounds this one, Coutinho has been exiled at Barcelona in a similar vein to how Niasse was at Everton (just without the binbags and the lockers). At the annual squad photo Phillipe wasn't invited, instead just being photoshopped onto the end of one of the rows to much delight on Twitter as the photo went viral. Koeman hasn't used him much and is apparently happy to sell, in order to raise funds for both Barcelona's crippling debt and the pursuit of Erling Haaland (the fact I can put both of those facts in the same sentence shows how bonkers the Spanish elite are). Coutinho was and still is an outstanding player, he just struggled to live up to the insane transfer fee that Barcelona paid and being the heir to Xavi and Iniesta's throne. After being booed and jeered at Camp Nou, there's really been no way back for him and I'm just surprised he's stayed at the club for this long, had he jumped ship early enough he could have been still playing within Europe's elite and rebuilt what has been a downward dip in his career. Despite me saying that I wouldn't sign Rafa in the other thread (one reason being his age). I'd jump at the chance to have Coutinho as he's just an outstanding player, if he can capture even half of what he had at Liverpool he'd be in the XI for us every week.

Would Rafa be a good signing? Probably. Do I want us to sign him? No. The main attributes of his are blazing speed (so much show that he is nicknamed ''The Flash'') and technique on the ball - two attributes that you could find in an upcoming talent around the continent and South America if you looked hard enough. The Portuguese League is so hard to judge players in, because most of the time they're up against sides that would struggle in the English lower leagues, it's very easy to look good in a Benfica side (who are the richest in the country) against the likes of Tondela, Maritimo and Santa Clara who's whole team could be bought for about £1,000,000 and a bag of footballs. The only time that the ''Big Three'' are tested are when they play each other, play Braga or are in European football. I don't agree with us signing someone for so much money at his age too. He's not ''old'' but at 28 we'd be getting what, 2-3 seasons out of him? Plus once his contract was expiring we'd have no re-sale value, nobody in their right mind is going to pay £43m+ for a 30 year old winger (who by then may well have lost that explosive pace). I just think that whereas this isn't a bad signing, it's one that we don't need to make and would probably not benefit from. +1.

Your optimism is inspiring @MikeO. You should be proud of yourself for the way that you've managed what recent events have thrown at you.

I'm happy for them to try whatever it takes to kick these idiots out of football, the trouble is that racism is sadly deep routed within society so won't change without radical changes at so many levels. As others have said, for the trolls I think this will be seen as some sort of victory, almost as if they've achieved something by causing a football club to go into hiding for a few days. It's not the be all and end all, but the social media companies themselves are the ones that can make the biggest change, the fact that you could be banned from the platform for hate speech, yet make a new account and start again within 60 seconds tells you everything.

@MikeO, he's doing it again

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Pickford for me also - kept us in it for the first 70 minutes or so with some really nice saves (and would have saved the penalty had it gone ahead - fuck you Ceballos!). His save at the end from Xhaka(?) despite the whistle already going for a foul and the save from the toepoke where Seamus fell asleep literally won us two points right at the death. For all the criticism (rightly in some cases) Jordan really seems to have screwed his head back on and is in great form at the moment, just what we need at the business end of the season. You do realise Richarlison's cross was off target ?

Delph can't even get dressed properly, everyone's in blue socks and he's turned up in white. Clearly doesn't check his dress code emails.

Delph coming on. In other news, the front row of my garden ranges from 2.8mm-3.6mm in height.

I don't know what I enjoy more, us scoring a goal or seeing Godfrey's slide tackles where takes 10% of the ball and 90% of the man. They really are a thing of beauty.