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I 'think' I agree with you, as we're better off murdering them in their beds higher up the pitch. So I'd like to imagine we could carry Manquillo for this one. I am a smidgen worried about the number of players we've possibly got out for this one though. But I almost think Joelinton, Bruno and Almiron could carry it over the line on their own through sheer willpower.

A two footed Almiron would be really exceptional once you got his head into gear as Howe has.

Ouch. Silly boy. Well, at least he's getting paid and it's not by us...

Not disputing that but it does categorically mean he has limited abilities. What he does well, he does better than Murphy at the moment, but there are things Murphy can do that he just can't which give us a lot of alternate options and make us less predictable.

I've learned to stop worrying but one day that's going to bite me I keep saying it, but so grateful he's been injury free this year. Would've been a gamechanger for us.

I do agree with you, but you'd have to expect that the players hitting/past 30 are the ones least likely to benefit from that. That's particularly the case in terms of market value, where one year's CL experience is one year closer to retirement. I don't like it, but we do need to think about it a bit to avoid doing a Leicester - having key squad members ageing out and leaving for nothing.

I mean, the obvious answer is it depends on what we're planning on replacing them with. But I definitely think it's plausible that we want to go big on a CB and think/know that Lascelles would be a better bench leader than Schar, for example, and Schar going for £18m would help mitigate a £40m signing. And although his form has massively improved, Wilson still doesn't look totally happy in himself to me - maybe for off field reasons - so again, I don't think a move down south is out of the question. Not that I'm especially wanting any of these things to happen, by the way.

Replacing Howe. Saudis want a bit more stardust in their management to help with marketing. More seriously... I do think there could well be a surprise departure this summer. Probably among people who are 1) less than critical in terms of off field leadership, 2) whose value and profile is only likely to go down from here onwards, and 3) play in positions we're looking to adjust. I'm speaking aside from obvious possibilities like ASM. In terms of who fits that profile that Burnley might bother to come and watch for two games in a row..... Schar? Almiron? ...Wilson?

The Champion's League is silly enough as it is, we should at least try and keep it as the creme de la creme competing in it. The change I'd make personally is to give a spot to the FA Cup winners or finalists, before defaulting to the league if they've both already qualified. That way, you could at least say that champions, or very high achievers, are going into the CL, and reinvigorate the FA Cup too. But having a mini tournament where every entrant gets some form of Europe is just silly to me. The idea that up until say 3 or 4 weeks ago that Chelsea were still eligible to be in the Champion's League seems insulting.

Well, he literally has one foot, so that's always going to hold him back. If that wasn't the case, it would be transformational.

I often imagine him sitting there, farting away, thinking "if they'd played like that for me I could've done that easily too". Yeah, 'if', you fucking dick.

A lot of people resent competence. It's often said he's smug but he's not, he just has his shit together, and that makes people seethe.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/19/saudi-arabia-talks-sponsorship-african-super-league Maybe pre season friendlies and scouting ties with the winners?

Those 8 minutes did NOT go as they expected when they formalised them. And yes, where on earth did they come from?

Just the proverbial 'big 6' table.

Wtf

On best strikers, the question partly depends on if you're just talking about match by match talent or overall contribution to the club. Ba was fantastic but Wilson's been here leading the line through initially bad and now exceptionally good times for quite a while now.

Really shit isn't it. Like you say, sure that's why Wilson was relatively subdued in his celebration. One of the biggest moments in our recent history and I didn't really believe it was happening.

You think more? Agreed. No chance he's going anywhere though, I don't think. I'm sympathetic to the idea there might be one or two surprise departures though to maximise value. I've said before, I wouldn't be stunned to see Miggy go. Or maybe Schar? Would be a bit gutting though and I'm far from convinced it'll happen.

He's a very strong shout but I'm a bit biased against giving him it only because he got it last season - inclined to spread the love! But I couldn't argue with it, he's totemic.

From what I saw it looked like an 'entitled to go down' dive. I was shocked it wasn't given, it looked like bread and butter for a Tottenham or Liverpool penalty.

Full credit, great, effective performance from him tonight. That cross in to Willock for the Almiron chance was lovely.

What a performance. Guy was a machine. Had Estupinan on toast. Best game since...? Given the significance of the match, maybe it was his best?

A managerial masterclass.