Mashed Potatoes

What do Raya, Steele, Walton and Kaminski think ?

It was stated by the EPL before the season - and explained to the players - that referees would be coming down much harder on blocking at set pieces so the ref was obviously looking out for it. Hughes was naive.

Great cross by Brittain

Ultimately is it Waggott and Suhail who decide what fee is acceptable ? Isn't the likely answer that somebody in India has sent over an instruction that no offers below a certain amount can be accepted ?

From memory did his ACL in April so would be the fastest recovery since Lazarus.

The Sky commentators said he had done brilliantly for the save for the corner.

The Sky commentators picked out Travis as failing to mark properly.

Good start and it looks like the doom and gloom predictions of certain relegation are considerably overstated. The criticism of Pears - which now includes criticism of him for leaving alone a shot which did not go in - is becoming silly. He had no chance with either goal. Gueye looks a very good acquisition - both goals conceded came after he had gone off and his defending at set pieces was reminiscent of how Drogba was used by Chelsea.

No - defence of the people who give up their free time to represent supporters . Would have thought they are entitled to some respect.

The problem is that the club isn't self sufficient. So what do they do when it becomes apparent ?

Be fair. He did break the news that Duncan Ferguson would be appointed manager.

For those who think that there was a chance that Klopp would want to take the England job the Daily Telegraph website are reporting that he has confirmed that he will be taking the forthcoming season off from football to re-charge his batteries.

Every team can have a bad day - Spain lost to Scotland in the qualifying group.

Correct - and what is noticeable about those demanding a new manager is that not a single one of them has said who it should be.

Couldn't you get on the blower and come back to us with the answers ?

We should do well with that team - it's got 12 players in it.

Yes, the comparisons with Bellingham are silly. It seems possible that Bellingham could win the Balon D'Or come the end of the year ; however excited we and others might be by Wharton he has a long way to go still to get to that level.

Not good news for Colleen.

Given their financial resources Bayern and Man City could have outbid Palace - but chose not to do so.

Realisticly,what do you think a player best suited to the pivot role in a 4-2-3-1 playing in the Championship would fetch ? Another £6m to £10m brings the fee up to to £28m to £32m which is about the max for a Championship player ( £32m for Watkins ?)

I thought we talked up Man Utd over Phil Jones ?

I would have thought 22 was the max if all the contingencies were met, but did not relate to the sell on, which will be based on profit (probably) or gross fee on the on sale. I don't think there will be a max for the sell on.

Jude Bellingham made his senior debut for Birmingham in August 2019 and England debut in November 2020.

Southgate stated that White had made himself unavailable for the tournament so the manager can't pick him. The player had a row with Southgate's assistant Steve Holland in Qatar in 2022 and returned early from the World Cup.

Palace ended the season as well as any club. Southgate has been managing England for years without picking their players until now. Maguire is injured. Agree with you about Grealish - would have taken him ahead of Watkins.