I know it's been 30 years but Rovers once did what you say Newcastle are doing now. Jack Walker's millions allowed Blackburn Rovers to buy the best player in the land for a record fee in the summer of 1992. I loved watching Norwich get battered 7-0 at Ewood. Norwich recovered. If Rovers were still a Premier League team I doubt that many of views stating the soullessness of the league would be as readily espoused. Money does need to be more equally distributed throughout the pyramid. The top teams buy everybody, spend oodles on players who will never play for their first team, loan them out for extortionate fees, and reap the rewards again once they are sold.

It does to me. The first 3 are spoilers, McNeil doesn't deliver enough goals or assists , and Danjuma is one of those who looks the part but scores sparingly. Everton would be much better off if Calvert-Lewin could stay fit.

Yep. Another £70+ million down the drain. I don't know what has gone on with him. He had the world at his feet a few years ago. He's never looked right at Man U. He put on weight, looked listless, lost his England spot, and then decided that fighting with the manager would work in his favour. Ten Hag got rid of Ronaldo, what made Sancho think he'd have a chance? He should have stayed at Dortmund for longer.

The fans are already enraged, they'll meltdown if that happens. I've been very critical of Everton's haphazard signings over the past few years, but after reading this ESPN article Man U may have them beat; ESPN UK; Man Utd mess They paid big money and doled out massive contracts to a whole host of bad players. Long may it continue may I add. From paying daft money for Di Maria, giving perma injured Phil Jones a new 4 year deal, panic buying van de Beek and never playing him adds up to millions lost. If the Antony stories are true that will be him gone too. They handled the Greenwod exit badly so they'll try to "fix" the issue.

An interesting point. I would take 3 of the 2004 back 4 as Walker is better than Gary Neville. I'd have Pickford over James too. Ferdinand was either banned or injured for Euro 2004, not that it mattered as there was talent in abundance for that position back then. After that the fun starts. What if the 2004 team played today's formation, or vice versa? Could Beckham do the same job as a wide forward? Or would he compete with Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard for a midfield 3 spot? Or a 4-4-2 with Kane and Rashford up top. Foden or Saka as true left midfielders. Bellingham and Rice in the middle. Grealish on the right?

To the 90's/2000's v. now debate. Today's squad is better than what we've had. Results have proven it. Yet we all know that every single one of the other teams lost by very small margins. I think Hoddle would have done well if he'd had been able to carry on. As mentioned, the Man U/Liverpool/Chelsea feuds within Sven and Capello's squads put any pay to success they could have had. Also, their era started with Zidane's France and ended with Spain's all conquering teams. There was a chance in 2006 but Owen's injury and ultimately Rooney's sending off were the deciding factors. Keegan and McClaren weren't good enough, and Hodgson came in during a changing of the guard. Here are the squads, most of them were very strong but I see a drop off after 2010. Euro 2012 looked particularly bleak. It was also enjoyable going through them to see names I'd forgotten who were in. Euro 2000 WC 2002 Euro 2004 WC 2006 WC 2010 Euro 2012 WC 2014 Euro 2016 Pickford gets some stick too. He has been an excellent performer for England for over 5 years now. After looking through those squads I'd pick him ahead of any of the other keepers. Seaman wasn't great shakes. David James. Joe Hart. Paul Robinson. All dodgy.

He won't be. He's now a right back. England has loads of them, with Kyle Walker and Reece James being two of the world's best.

Everton are on the verge of being sold; BBC: Moshiri selling to US investment firm Their fans have been agitating for this, let's see what happens. USA investment firms are in it to make money and tellingly once the sale goes through half of current Prem clubs will be owned by Americans.

Is anyone else having flashbacks to when Venkys brought in their Brazilian chicken supremo to lick the club into shape? He didn't last long. Although this new bloke looks to be a lot closer to their inner circle.

I agree with you on Saka, He had a bad day too. Although he was inches away from winning it. He's not started well for Arsenal either. The BBC's summary was fair.; BBC -Ukraine v. England match report Maddison is a good player, but his best position isn't wide left in a front 3. Bellingham spent a lot of time out there because Maddison drifted inside. Grealish's injury aside I'd play Rashford on the left. I'd also tell him to put in a transfer request and leave Man U. His talent has, and will continue to be, wasted there. As a side, living in the USA rugby, darts, and cricket are sports I like but have no coverage at all, and as the years have gone by I've lost any real knowledge or understanding of them.

It was a very disjointed performance. Bellingham had his worst game in an England shirt. Not enough chances were created. Ukraine scored a good goal but it was their only chance of the game. Maguire had a solid game.

Southgate can say what he likes. His words aren't legal contracts. However, it does leave him open to questioning. Maguire is trusted by Southgate, but like any international manager he wants his players playing regularly so that they are up to fitness and ready for action. Would Maguire have been in the squad if Stones was fit? Southgate has used those two for the past 5 years. All the other central defenders have very little experience (although Colwill looks like he has a chance). If Maguire is still sat on the subs bench by the end of the year I reckon he'll angle for a loan move in January as Southgate won't play him in a tournament coming off a full season without playing.

I should have added that they were games I saw all or a part of. Over here NBC does a great job on Prem coverage but it doesn't have a Saturday or Sunday evening Match of the Day type show. Straight after the late Sunday game they do a post weekend analysis showing all the weekend's goals but by then I'm off out to do something. Chelsea played on Friday and I didn't see any of it nor did I see a minute of the Brentford v. Palace draw either. Spurs easily beat Bournemouth as well. VAR again was an issue, but not as controversial as some weeks. I don't think van Dijk should have been sent off, or Worrall for Forest. Yet both times the ref brandished a red and the VAR official decided not to intervene. Neither decision was a clear or obvious error - van Dijk did catch Isak, and Worrall grabbed Fernandes' shorts - so nothing was said. Alexander-Arnold was a lucky lad. Booked early for throwing the ball back on the pitch after he was fouled, he then deliberately stopped Gordon but the ref let it go.

Man U, Man City, and Liverpool all had wins over the weekend. Liverpool's was the impressive one. Man U benefitted from a couple of questionable refereeing decisions whilst City did what City do and force a winner despite being average. Arsenal faltered to a draw. Everton lost again. Burnley came out slow and were punished. West Ham battered Brighton.

What a good result. A disciplined performance with a fantastic goal to win it. I'll say that without that striker we all want JDT will need more moments of exquisite skill to win matches. A word on Gallagher. He is such a conundrum. Rovers picked it up when he came on but he does some odd things. In his eagerness to get involved he was flagged offside from a Travis through ball. He had no need to go that early. He tried to play in Travis before Hadges goal, but he over hit the pass. Late on he got caught mazy dribbling in his own half and lost it. Yet soon after he headed away a dangerous corner.

I agree with the prevailing opinions so far. If this Rovers teams had a 20 goal a season striker playing they'd be playoff bound. I've said more than once that Dolan doesn't have it. Today is his usual, good performances are an anomaly. This game is there for the taking.

I agree. It was never a sending off. However, I don't think that it can be classed as a "clear and obvious" error either. MacAllister did catch Christie with his studs. As arbitro says again and again, referees are thick as thieves and are unlikely to overrule a fellow official. VAR in the Prem seems to fare worse than in other leagues, and certainly the Champs league. There will be another mistake this week. As to this week's games. Liverpool started very shakily then looked good. Szlobozlai (sp?) looks like a very good player. Salah missed another pen, it's time for him to hand over duties. Man U were woeful again. Spurs played well but will be Spurs. City ground out a result. Everton were terrible. It's very early but I think Burnley will hang on because along with Everton, Sheff Utd and Luton aren't good enough. I didn't see any of the Chelsea game.

As I posted the other day - if Ten Hag values Greenwood's talent he'll pick him. I also said that Greenwood is a free man, but how he got there is up for questioning. A good few years ago Viz had an "are you a premiership footballer?" quiz. One question was along the lines of; you committed a crime that shocked the nation. How do you respond? Boast of your charity work Give a presser offering an enthusiastic apology Wrong foot the keeper and slip one in the bottom corner Nothing has changed.

I've always said that an ex-pros should be in there too to offer their take. They know the tricks.

It's easy to forget how quick Shearer was. He lost a bit when he came back from the knee injury that ended his 1992-93 season early. I also liked Colin Hendry chipping in with a couple of assists from massive tackle/clearance combos.

Neves is a funny one. I think he'll be at Newcastle soon enough on loan. He signed for Wolves when they were a nobody championship outfit too. I also agree that it is a phase. Players will still go and play there to top up their pensions but it won't turn into a super league. I'm sure that the Saudi's will give anyone who goes there the white glove treatment but at some point some incident will occur, however minor, that will make players think twice about going.

It's a two-tiered league when it comes to relegation. These 9 don't have to worry; Arsenal, Man U, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Villa, Brighton, Newcastle, Brentford should be good but they've just sold their keeper and their star striker is out until January so I'll put them in limbo. I wouldn't be surprised if any of these 10 went down; Burnley, Bournemouth, West Ham, Luton, Forest, Fulham, Sheff Utd, Wolves, Palace, Everton.

Guardiola was having a good moan after the Charity Shield final. I'm sure he would have said the exact same if Trossard's last second deflected shot would have gone wide. None of them like losing. When they do they'll find any excuse to shift the blame.

I thought the opposite would have been the case. I wonder why? Less skill means more bad passes?

40 minutes seems low. I saw a table in one of the papers not too long ago showing Premier League teams average ball in play time. City were top at 65 ish, Newcastle bottom at 58 ish. I had a look and haven't found it yet but I did find this; Premier League in play 2012-2023 It shows the in play average is about 56 minutes. Surely the Championship is similar, or I'd wager even higher.