It's getting a bit of a pasting in some quarters over here. Lots and lots of artistic licence has a few people wound up. Jerry West being one of them. The last few episodes of Ozark are out. I'll be watching those shortly. No spoilers.

Not a fan. Some of the best games I've seen in recent years have been Champs League semi finals. Liverpool-Barcelona. Ajax-Spurs. The game on Tuesday to name 3. The two legs adds drama. Was the old UEFA cup final 2 legged?

City v. Real was an absolute cracker. City should have been 4-0 up before Benzema scored his first. City go to Madrid with a 1 goal advantage. The same as the last round. Can they stop Real from scoring? They are the better team, but will they get it right?

I think so too. He didn't score but played well last night. I said a week or two ago that the Sheffield Utd loss was the worst one. It's looking more prescient as the end nears. I still don't understand why Khadra took the penalty.

Last night was any of; a return to form, PNE on the beach, Rovers under no pressure. The players certainly looked happy to be playing. I thought that they played well. The spark was the front 3 constantly harassing PNE and not giving them any time at the back. I feel that it's too little too late though. The what if's are numerous. How many last minute goals cost points? Would it have been different if Brereton didn't get injured?

That's what irked me about Guardiola's reaction. His team would have done exactly the same thing if the opposition were on the attack and he'd have applauded it as smart football. Barcelona playing tiki taka was great to watch as there was so much skill and organisation involved in making it work. I didn't see much of it but Mowbray's Rovers doing it was nowhere near, nor was it effective. I enjoy watching Simeone's Atletico play. It's a style that grates but they are so well drilled that it is worth watching.

You are right, cynical fouls have been around forever. Guardiola took it and integrated it into the way his teams played. His Barcelona sides were notorious for it. If they lost the ball it was an almost guarantee than within seconds the whistle would blow for an opposition free kick.

I don't think they are, it's just how they play. They are the most unpredictable side in the Premier League. I'd question the sanity of the Saints fans travelling all that way without having a clue whether Jekyll or Hyde will turn up. So far this month they've drawn at Leeds, beaten Arsenal, got tonked off Chelsea, and are playing like a relegation outfit today. They also drew both games with City.

This involves Burnley but I'll put it here as there's a general point regarding players using concussion protocol's to their advantage. Just before Burnley scored their first they had a shot that a Southampton defender blocked with his head. Said defender fell over then started waving his arms about to try and get the game stopped. The ref ignored it so he got up and got back in position just in time to see Roberts' goal. The player didn't look like he was suffering at all. Something in the same vein happened last night in the Arsenal-Chelsea match. Arsenal were on the attack, crossed one in which was headed back to Arsenal by Azpilicueta. He too immediately went down clutching his head. The ref stopped play, and the attack was stopped. I'm not minimising concussions at all as they are far too underreported but both incidents struck me as disingenuous. Whilst I'm on it, it was rich to see Guardiola going ape during the Liverpool match when a Liverpool player "tactically" fouled a City player who was galloping toward goal. He invented it. He should be the last to complain.

They do, but Rovers are worse. Stuck in the championship, managed by Mowbray, owned by Venkys. They are a shadow of the Ferguson era. Scattershot player recruitment, bad managerial choices, commercial opportunities over on field improvement, and owners who prioritise profit over product all contribute. It is great to see though. For 20 years all and sundry had to listen to fawning media and superfans lording it over the football world. Not anymore. To the game; Liverpool were unplayable in the first half. The second goal was special. The last few minutes were also interesting as the through beating Man U had just had was laid bare. Fernandes crassly fouling TAA, and Sideshow Bob booting all and sundry. Watching Milner giving Maguire some stick for it was funny.

Thanks fellas. Now I know, and I'll pay as much attention to him as I did previously.

Is he Mowbray's agent? I have no idea who is he or his connection to Rovers. I clicked the link and it looks like he posts a lot of general football stuff.

Indeed. The way points are earned is a puzzler. Rovers under Mowbray win as many as they lose. However, as this year has proven it's extremely uneven. I assume that there be the same annoyance if instead of promotion form/death spiral scenarios it was a constant diet of win draw loss. Or would that dumb it all down further?

Here are Mowbray's Rovers Championship point totals since League 1 promotion; 2018-19; 60 2019-20; 63 2020-21; 57 2021-22; 63 (3 games to go) It's remarkably consistent.

What a shame. 2022 started with so much promise, yet has quickly reverted to type. What is Mowbray's overall Championship record when conceding the first goal? 3 wins, a few draws, and loads of defeats? I can't be far off.

I read a really good article on Dyche's approach sometime last year. From what I remember Ian Woan does most of the work and Dyche usually stays away until the day before a game when he comes in and picks the team. Apparently his scarcity added to his allure and how players responded to him. I also saw an article in a national newspaper ranking all Prem managers by their watch. Dyche had the most expensive one. Why would they sack him now? He had only won 1 or 2 games by the turn of the year. What makes the owner think that someone will come in and magically win 4 out of 7? I have a Burnley supporting mate who has been singing the same tune as Longsiders since August; this season will be their last in the Prem.

The semi finals are set; Man City v. Real Madrid Liverpool v. Villareal Atletico ruffled City then lost the plot. Not surprising really. They way Atletico play is impressive, but I hate the way they act. Liverpool were coasting then switched off. They did the same against Inter Milan in the last round.

If Atletico manage to score today Real's antics will pale in comparison. Simeone's men are past masters at it. Werner was playing well. Pulisic is a streaky player. He can play but doesn't have consistency. Alonso's disallowed goal was harsh, but Chelsea can't expect to go through after making the mistakes they did over both legs. Villareal are through too. They hammered Bayern at home and should have been more than 1 up yet it took a late counter attacking goal to seal it for them.

Good post. To point 1. Mowbray brought in Markanday(sp?) from Spurs who promptly did his knee. How would he have done?

Thanks to ESPN+ I've had the pleasure, if that's what you can call it, of watching pretty much every Rovers game since January. The Hull loss started it, but I think the real kicker was the loss at Bramall Lane. That one seemed to damage the team and at the same time give them a boost. Khadra should never have taken the penalty either. Rovers are playing for an unlikely 6th place finish, which is a real shame considering that all talk over Christmas was Premier League here we come.

The quarter final first legs are over. Liverpool and Real Madrid both won 3-1 away. Liverpool could have been 5 up at half time yet were lucky not to be pegged back to 2-2 before scoring late, and then missing another sitter. Chelsea carried on where they left off against Brentford. They weren't at the races. Benzema scored 2 class headers, and was given a gift for his 3rd. Lukaku needs to leave Chelsea quickly. His game is not suited to Chelsea's style. Villareal and City both won 1-0 at home. De Bruyne managed to nick one meaning that Simeone's men have to attack next week. Bayern should win but Villareal are a well drilled crew.

Said poster dug himself into a hole by parroting lazy media narratives regarding Lampard. The rest of us could see that he wasn't good enough, and we are being proven right. Everton players continue to make schoolboy mistakes - Godfrey last night. To me this falls on Lampard and his inability to mentally prepare players. As to Burnley; they've won 4 games all season yet are in with a fighting chance of staying up. It's barmy.

Man U continue to drift along aimlessly. Only the ref changing his mind (correctly, if you ask me) after looking at VAR saved them from another loss. I watched a bit of West Ham-Everton. In some ways Everton were unlucky. They played pretty well and could have been up at half time. However, an awful pass from Iwobi led to a Wet Ham goal, and a stupid tackle by Keane leading to his second booking cost them. I still think that they will stay up, and I still think that Lampard is the wrong man for the job.

Fair enough, but your "child's play" line intimated that the old days were better because there was more violence. You've said that you followed England far and wide, and I'm sure it was superb, but you can't compare your experiences to what occurs today. We all look at life through our own lens. Times change. Good memories will always be there. Lads watching England today will be saying the same thing as you in 2050. I remember the old Blackburn End toilets. They were a disgrace. Nobody can say with a clear mind that they were better than what Ewood offers now, even in a rapidly deteriorating stadium. Yet, people reminisce about them and the absolute state of them is diminished.

Times have indeed moved on. Harking back to the bad old days shouldn't be looked upon with misty eyes. Hooliganism was a blight on English football. It put the game back years. As far as stadiums go there is no comparison. Old Wembley was awful. The stands were too far away from the pitch, and there were awkward views all over the ground. New Wembley is, as I said the other day, a waste of money. But it is a tremendous venue.