RockieOwl

Been done to death, but yes on paper it would be easier. However, how can you guarantee second spot? Do we deliberately lose or draw the first game? What if we then batter Scotland but can't score and they get a last minute penalty? We would then need to beat the Czechs just to qualify. We could win our first 2 games but everyone else draws and we can only win the group even if we lose the last game. What if Spain come second? They seem to be having Covid issues at the moment which may affect them for the first game or two. Is the Quarters your objective? If we come sec

And it's hard to be sympathetic to France and Portugal give they are the winners of the last World Cup and last Euros.... but they have two away games in their group. If one of them come second in the group and we win our group, they will have another away game in the 2nd round. It shouldn't be like that

Decision was taken years ago. It may have been lack of interest at the time, although Turkey seem to be begging for any tournament at the moment and it will be in Germany in 2024 France aren't one of the host countries, but this massively helps us. Not only are we one of the host countries, I think we are the only team to have the chance of being "at home" in the knockouts. Win the group and get to the final, we play 6 of 7 at Wembley. Still think the format is rubbish.

Don't know, but early bird season tickets were on sale all the way up to 1st April and at this time we were unbeaten in 12 league games

Not answering the questions then?

For 12/13 there was an increase of nearly 3,000 from the previous year and we had only just got back to the Championship and you can see from the attendances that there was a lot more walkup during the season. And the attendances suffered because it was not a good season. The 19/20 season was pretty much 22 or 23k nearly every game. The walkup obliterated, Season tickets were bought when Bruce had just been announced as manager and we went on that good run that could have got us to the Playoffs if Fletcher scored that pen against Villa. Do you think we would have got the same attendances in 20

So you think we would have had the same attendances in 12/13 if we had DC prices? You think we would have had the same attendances in 15/16 with MM prices? And I've already mentioned this would have been lower than 22k without the Cardiff game and the Charlton game, which had ticket offers on, i.e. low prices, bringing in lots more fans. Of course success dictates crowd numbers. But its not the only thing that does. Prices do too and Chansiri's prices have driven people away and it will be very hard to get them back

Not sure how it is irrelevant talking about attendances when we are talking about attendances. Also not sure where you are getting your figures from. In the Championship with Mandaric we got over 24k in a season we nearly got relegated. In Chansiri's first year, where we got to Wembley we got 22.6k, so 1,500 fans less per game. This also includes the Cardiff game and also the Charlton game which had a ticket offer and therefore close to 29,000 attending (apparently ticket offers of reduced pricing doesn't work). The average would have been less than 22,000 without these 2 games. I

And you think we would have got anywhere near that in 20/21? And what do you think 21/22 will bring? Nothing to do with Bristol City fans or away fans but that's the game the ridiculous pricing started

We have a squad of 26, so not sure what the problem is about taking Henderson and Maguire even if not fit until the last 16 or quarters or even later if we get there. We are never going to play Ben White or JWP in the whole tournament anyway so why not let Henderson and Maguire try to get fit. If it was a club tournament, the moment they are fit enough, they would get straight into the Liverpool/Man Utd team even if just for the last 2 games so don't see a problem keeping them in

From season 1 of DC, the pricing of tickets was wrong. I expected an increase but the increases were extortionate. The Bristol City fans on the first game were not happy and who can blame them. Maybe a lot of Wednesday fans didn't care at the time because of the feel good factor but when the team is doing well fans will pay. I think this is shown by season 2, the year after Wembley having a higher average than the season before. However its a risk because if not doing well, not only will fans not turn up because of poor performances but they will also be put off by the prices. If i

They're not available today as they played in the Champions League or Europa finals. Are you suggesting we should drop one of them instead of Lingard because their teams got to European finals? I'm not totally convinced of Lingard starting today but understand the logic with 4 or 5 players in his position missing and that's just the situation we are in with a tight schedule because of Covid.

We will have Foden, Sterling and Mount available then though. Not sure Rashford is available today or not either

We have always been capable of finding a sponsor. It is just that Chansiri wants his name plastered over everything

Pope's not fit and not in the squad that's why Ramsdale and Johnstone have been called up. Henderson #2 and although I've rarely seen him play even when at United after seeing his performance against Liverpool I would fully expect Pickford to be #1.