TRC

Opta still have us most likely to finish 7th.

Yeah it will be that midweek 100%, hopefully Pope is back by then.

We will play you May 14th

They are back when we play you.

We need to essentially beat Palace, Burnley, Sheff United, Fulham, Brentford and not lose to Brighton and we get 7th and Europa.

Need 16 points from 8 games to get Europa. Should have been 14.

Not just us moving on the league has stepped up in quality this year

He looked good when he had 4 class players around him in Joelinton, Bruno, Trippier and Isak/Wilson. But when those players are out he is shown up as a bloke who just runs around

Absolutely shocking performance everything he touched went wrong. Even got bailed out by Tarkovski fouling Murphy. Hes probably 8th choice cm when everyone is fit.

Thats a solid team, we have to beat a team who havent won in 13 with that team.

These havent won in the league since they beat Burnley on December 16th, 13 games ago. Must win, regardless of injuries we should still have at least the best 3 players on the pitch.

I'd rather take a 4 point hit than sell Trippier for 10m.

Take the -4, lose Bruno at its taking a -15 at least.

That was Fagioli who got banned for 7 months.

If he does go, I hope its too Barcelona or an actual historic club I can get behind.

I don't think we have any chance at Sesko, it would require Wilson to be moved on to get him, and then he's just going to sit on the bench behind Isak all season?

I think there will always be this issue of how the rules should be. Everyone wanted FFP after Chelsea and City bought the league, but that essentially made it a closed shop. If we got rid of PSR us and Villa would just make the top 8 probably a lock with the rest of the big 6.

Everton broke the rules, and didnt even come close to breaking into the top 6 so I think they just need to accept their punishment and learn to recruit properly.

Our hardest games are Spurs at home and Man U away. Maybe Brighton at home/Fulham away. If we get it right tactically we can grind out 7th.

If our medical team pull their finger out our centre mid is well stocked to be honest. Get Lloyd Kelly and Tosin in. Look to move on one of Miggy or Murphy, we cant have 2 back up RW and impove that area of the squad. Move Longstaff, Targett possibly Wilson on and bring in a back up CF. Then a few younger players like Minteh and I think I'd be happy enough to be honest I dont think the team needs the overhaul people suggest unless Bruno or Isak do move on.

Fair enough, I appreciate people have set backs, but 9 cases + Joelinton constantly having niggles then out for the season just seems either ridiculous luck or a systemic problem.

Its not just a one off case though. Barnes being out an additional month. Anderson adding 2 months to his recovering Willock multiple setbacks Longstaff playing through injury when we have Miley who is more rested now. Wilson/Isak needing to rotate and then playing 90 minutes when we know they couldnt do it. Gordon being ruled out on the Friday playing the full 90 the next day. Murphy being ruled out, coming back for about 5 minutes. Burn breaking his back, and then being rushed back in when Livra was in form, he didnt break down but hasnt been the same since. I feel the evidence is fairly overwhelming?

Yep, someone has to be accountable, either the medical team are clueless or Howe ignores them.

@Matt West HamHow confident are you for the game? Is Alvarez a big miss for you?

Solano had played RB for country and Boca? Back then we had Aaron Hughes at RB who was a CB even back then and we were linked to a tonne of RBs for years before settling for Carr. Think Speed would play CM, he would be a solid 8 and could rotate the 6.