Right. It doesn’t sound like Pickering is back though. Unless you’ve heard something ? When’s Beck fit again ? I’ve never known a season like this for injuries. You can count on the fingers of one hand the player who haven’t gone missing for long spells at some point.

That one that Sutton missed ! My mum could have put that one away. I still haven’t forgiven him. Regards Tyrone

When is Baath back ? He’ll make a difference.

I’m talking about playing him for England as this is the “ England” thread. People get carried away when the see us dicking fourth rate teams like Transylvania and Treasure Island these days. When we play the really good teams too many of our players just don’t turn up. Foden is just another example.

That was a great result. Some good players in the Portsmouth team.

I’m not a Saka fan. He very rarely shows up in the big games.

You don’t know that. There’s nothing to say that Rodri will be the same player next season.

You’re not comparing like with like. DeBruyne plays in a different position entirely . It’s more difficult to play the defence splitting passes that Wharton plays from just in front of the back four than behind the strikers where DeBruyne plays.

Are City and Utd battling it out for Scott’s signature ? Can Scott pass a ball like Wharton can ? In fact name me a player playing in the Premier League that can pass a ball like Wharton. The lad is a one off.

You mean the Chicken Chokers will be getting £27m to £32m for him. We won’t see a penny of it.

The guy in my paper today has it right about Foden - “ lacks conviction in an England shirt “.

It doesn’t matter where he plays, he’s very rarely above average for England.

I don’t understand the fuss about Foden. He very rarely influences a game. All he ever did last night was trap it and pass it back into midfield. He didn’t even try to beat the full back once. Rashford wasn’t much better.

It was just more of the same. Passing for passings sake.

According to the BBC both Utd and City are preparing to battle it out for Wharton’s signature this Summer. Somebody please tell me again that £ 18 million was a really good deal for us.

In spite of not having much of the ball in our half they cut through us a few times in midfield much too easily.

Too static. Player A passes the ball to player B who’s stood still. He bounces it off to player C who is also stood still. Play on repeat.

The Young Rascals - You Better Run

I see that Hirst lad who we had on loan has elected to join Scotland.

Every new season you replace your two weakest players. Irrespective of what you did the season before. We needed a new centre half ( Pearce ) and a new left winger (Wilcox ).

I could see what Eustace was trying to do even in the early days. Stop the leaking of goals. In the end he was successful. I’m prepared to give Ismael more time but at the moment I can’t see what his plan is. We are back to leaking goals again without being more expansive in attack and in front of goal. When he gets some important bodies back after the international break will be the time to judge. On another point I’m extremely concerned about the amount of soft tissue injuries we are seeing. In my experience it’s unprecedented in these numbers. What is going on behind the scenes ?

It won’t be long before you can “ safe stand “ anywhere in the ground. When gates are down to about 5,000.

That’s the only conclusion anyone can come to.

There’s no real accountability at any level at the club. From top to bottom. Nobody came in on Monday morning fearing the sack. It’s as simple as that.

I don’t remember that game at all. We defended like the current team going off the highlights.