Ross Barkley

[Somniloquism]

I think he was joking, but yes - you get an extra €275,000 for every place higher up the league, and there's a €10m jump in prize money from first knockout to round of 16.

So I think (depending on how much Heck were to fleece out of people) that if you finished ninth and THEN qualified through the first knock-out stage (thus still getting the extra prize money) it could theoretically work out financially better to have the two extra games.

But I'm guessing they'd just prefer the extra €10m guaranteed.

It wouldn't be close. (all prices Euros) 2.1m per win against 700k for a draw (and nothing for a loss) means to not qualify in the top 8 would lose us between 2-4 mil for not getting the wins needed to qualify. Getting into the knockout round is 1m so it adds some back, but you get no extra prize money unless you win the knockout, in which case you get the 11mil you mentioned. And Heck can only squeeze money on one of the games anyway as the other would be elsewhere.

(and that is not including the league position money you mentioned)

[Risso]

I was only joking.

[PaulWinch again]

Very good signing, and you can tell his attitude is spot on.

[eamonn]

It was never going in but we deserved a bit of luck last night.

[Hookeysmith]

It was never going in but we deserved a bit of luck last night.

Agreed - during our dodgy run every loose ball, every iffy bounce seemed to go to the opposition

[dcdavecollett]

I thought the line of Ross's original shot was heading just inside the other post, but now we'll never know...

[Percy McCarthy]

I thought the line of Ross's original shot was heading just inside the other post, but now we'll never know...

Yes, it was, but the keeper looked like he would have saved that one.

[adrenachrome]

I thought the line of Ross's original shot was heading just inside the other post, but now we'll never know...

Yes, it was, but the keeper looked like he would have saved that one.

There was also the fact that Ross slipped just about when he took the shot.

The point is that if a player has space to have a go, then he should take it, unless a pass would be a better option.

[AV84]

He slipped and I think it hit both defenders on the way in. Bounced off one's foot into the other's stomach. Definitely the luckiest goal I've seen for a while.

[usav]

He slipped and I think it hit both defenders on the way in. Bounced off one's foot into the other's stomach. Definitely the luckiest goal I've seen for a while.

Since Rogers at Fulham?

[AV84]

He slipped and I think it hit both defenders on the way in. Bounced off one's foot into the other's stomach. Definitely the luckiest goal I've seen for a while.

Since Rogers at Fulham?

He didn't slip though. Just the deflection.

[VillaTim]

If you don't buy a ticket you can't win the lottery

[Richard E]

If you don't buy a ticket you can't win the lottery

Well, you say that but:-

you could steal a ticket

you could forge a ticket

Someone could give you a ticket as a present

You could hack the lottery computer

[Somniloquism]

The wife buys tickets all the time and never wins.