1.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 07:51:09
Thanks very much Ed, roll on tonight mate, I don't know about you but I'm so bloody excited for this game! nerves don't come into it for this one, I would wish you a good day but I know you'll have one when we win :) .

{Ed001's Note - I am always nervous when we play. That's why I focus on my superstitions to stop me feeling so sick }

2.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 07:51:17
At the time I thought vertonghen didn’t look right. Maybe football could look at ‘blood’ replacements like rugby, except for head injuries. If the physio says he needs to do tests then someone can be brought on. I think it would be best for the player, as they will get the proper treatment, but knowing footballers, they won’t be ready in time to come on. plus we will probably get players faking head injuries when the subs are used up.

3.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 08:07:32
Thanks Ed. It’s clear that whoever wrote the concussion protocols was probably concussed at the time!

{Ed001's Note - hahaha maybe.}

4.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 08:20:25
Thanks very much, Ed. I'm racking my brains to think of another player who accumulated so many medals with such limited ability. Can't think of one. Maybe you could put it on your to do list!

{Ed001's Note - I doubt I will find one.}

5.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 08:30:01
Thanks for the daily write up, Ed. How do you think Wagner will go at the helm of Schalke? And also, how did you think he did with Huddersfield in the Prem? Thanks, mate.

{Ed001's Note - it depends. The Wagner in the Championship was excellent, but he lost his way when they got up and forgot what worked for them and tried to turn them into a ball-dominant passing team, which did not suit them. If he reverts to his quick attacking high press tactics, he will do well. Schalke are not good enough to dominate the ball.}

6.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 08:37:33
Vomitting is a crystal clear sign of head injury. That's really dangerous.

7.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 08:40:03
Morning Ed, big day obviously!

As an aside was talking to a couple of the lads in Holland I know who are Ajax fans before the game yesterday. They were all adamant that the introduction of the B side system in Dutch football that was introduced 5 odd years ago played a huge factor. In that this side have got to play competitive level football together and progress together. I was interested to hear your thoughts on this as if I remember rightly you were strongly opposed to it in the context of Spain when it was brought up previously.

Have a great day mate and obviously enjoy the game tonight.

{Ed001's Note - it works for the big teams but it destroys it for the smaller teams. So I am still opposed to it. It is not what football should be about. And it is nothing to do with that anyway. It is two things - one they brought in some experience to help the youngsters. Secondly the manager is exceptional. Ajax are not that good in terms of the players, those young players are not fit to lace the boots of the likes of Kluivert, in terms of individual ability. Ten Hag should be getting praised to the rafters.}

8.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 08:46:40
Cheers for that ed, maybe it’s the Irish blood in me blinding me from better sense but I always thought O’Shea was a fairly decent player. Also, from the business being done, might the lunacy of transfer costs be dropping after a few windows of inflated pricing or is that just in Europe. Have a good day mate.

{Ed001's Note - I actually genuinely like O'Shea, as a person, I love his attitude, as he gave his everything on the pitch, but, as a player he was entirely average. A testament to being lucky enough to begin your career with the right team and how giving your all can bring rewards beyond the actual level of your ability.}

9.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 09:03:11
Thanks Tris, great read as always. Conor Hourihan’s street rep must have taken a bit of a blow when a punch of his was not deemed hard enough to be violent! 😂.

{Ed001's Note - isn't that the second time this season that a punch to the stomach has been deemed not to be violent conduct?}

10.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 09:04:11
Is it just me or David Wagner deserves this opportunity? I thought he did a good job at Huddersfield. It's about us tonight though and breaking the 20 unbeaten run at the NOU camp is firmly on the cards. Hopefully, we have a fully fit team from the start and play them much better than we did Bayern. We indeed have come a long way as a club and kudos to the owners, Klopp, the lads and the fans. We've become a family! Cheers Ed.

{Ed001's Note - welcome mate.}

11.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 09:04:25
Conor Hourihane punch NOT violent conduct. O how the FA panels have a habit of making me laugh. I think that is what commonly referred to as a travesty.

Great read mate.

{Ed001's Note - cheers mate.}

12.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 09:26:02
Cheers Ed001, Say what you want about his actual ability but John O'Shea nutmegging Figo is one of my favourite moments in footballing history (As an irishman we don't have many to pick from) . Best of luck to the lad.

The Vertonghen situation makes me appreciate how we handled Fabinho's clash of heads even more.

{Ed001's Note - the nutmeg is one of the great moments precisely because of the ability level of the 2 players.

I agree, we did the right thing, it is a shame more clubs don't. These players are hugely valuable assets, worth tens (even hundreds) of millions of pounds each, why would you take such stupid risks with their long term health and wellbeing?}

13.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 09:40:58
Ed a note on figo, what did you make of him?

{Ed001's Note - he had amazing ability but every time I saw him play I always felt he left a bit on the table, so to speak. He never seemed to quite put everything in, ability-wise. I always felt like there was more he could do.}

14.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 10:38:49
We're we genuinely close to signing o'shea under rafa, or was that just newspaper talk ed?

{Ed001's Note - I don't remember being close to signing anyone from United other than Heinze. Fergie would never have let any player from them join us. O'Shea was a Liverpool fan as a kid so it was an easy story to write.}

15.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 12:11:59
How did o'shea get 5 when stevie g got none?!

I wonder if john would swap those five fpr a cl medal? And Conversley would stevie swap his cl medal for 5 pl medals?

Weird question i know, personally i think gerrard would not want to swap. He may not have won the premier league but he won the highest acolade in club football. Legend, my hero (which is odd as we're the same age)

Thanks ed01 for taking the time to educate us, much appreciated. Have a nice day and let's hope we have a nice night!

{Ed002's Note - Maybe Gerrard would want to swap his CL medal for on of Robert Huth's three PL medals?}

16.) 01 May 2019
01 May 2019 13:49:33
Ed001; would you take 5 PL medals or 1 CL? I don't think there's even a question here, 5 PL for me every day of the week. One, more medals, two, the PL is more of an achievement in my opinion. What do you think?

{Ed001's Note - I would take one Prem over the CL.}