Rich

Class KK and Terry Mac dynamic.

Not at all, no, you're right. I do think it's really hard to judge, though. This is only the second time this season he's played four on the bounce. If he doesn't get injured again I'm almost certain he'll continue to improve, as he's doing now (being helped by having Trippier behind and better players around, though). He's nowhere near the assist machine he was at Bournemouth and even if he's lost a yard, that player can't have totally disappeared.

"For some reason". Very diplomatic of you, Doon, well played. Can we get back to talking about how fucking mint Maxi was last night? Looked a yard quicker, was making better decisions, and the prospect of him and Bruno together on the pitch for longer than six minutes is wank-tastic.

Goal and assist = "offers little else". He's getting there, still nowhere near his best.

Looks very clunky, like. Clearly lacking in confidence and desperate for a goal, but he might've had one last night had he been picked out by ASM at the end. Still, he's only been dispossessed three times in three matches, won an average of 13 aerial duels per game (55% success), and is part of a nice little unbeaten run. He's also being asked to be a lot more involved in general play than he ever was at Burnley (~20% more touches per game), which is perhaps showing him up a bit in terms of his limitations. Probably a 4/10 so far in terms of overall contribution. He's here to score goals and needs to start doing so soon, but he's still nowhere near his levels of 2017/18, 2019/20, and 2020/21 in terms of xG per 90 (0.29 for Burnley this season and 0.30 for us vs. 0.46 averaged over those three seasons).

Zog for me like

These lads and lasses are absolute legends, it can't be said enough. Was immense being under that surfer last night, and seeing the flags at the opposite end was a nice change. I'm off to donate a bit more.

Down to a four now. More likely to stay up than go down, having been 50/50 previously. Howeay the lads.

I’m ashamed I called him bang average. What a debut. Almost as good as his first interview on the official site and “Getting To Know” video. Looked effortless.

He’s got massive, massive talent and his technique is great. Still think there’s a ways to go with game intelligence and general awareness, but he’s young enough to improve in both areas. He’s finally winning tackles and using his body, he just needs a goal and I think he’ll step it up even further. Would love to see him with Bruno beside.

Some great comments there in his interview, nice insight into how he picks the team and the competition for places he’s created. Good of him to mention Longstaff, who was excellent against Leeds. Additionally, he’s just an absolute workhorse of a bloke and he’s clearly smart as fuck alongside that. Night and day from that last charlatan we had darkening the door. He’s surely earned trust now?

Can anyone recall a better cameo than that? Heavens.

He is absolutely exceptional in every aspect of his game. No idea how he’s here, but thank fuck he is. The benchmark.

He’s a fucking brilliant interview, like. Seems a top lad. Chuffed he got his goal and is having a run now

Sigh.

If Bruno doesn't start, I'll change my username to "Pardiola" for the remainder of the season.

Noncesense.

Not middle class and white, interestingly enough.

Add Gosens to the list with Ekitike, Süle, and whoever else I’m forgetting that turned us down after a bid was accepted for them:

Christ

Love this.

Get to fuck.

He said they wouldn’t know about Burn until after training today. It’s the kind of thing players can take an injection for and use padding with, so seems like they’d be testing that out today to see what the reaction is. Surely a 6’7” Blyth lad on the cusp of making a home debut for his boyhood club isn’t going to be kept out by an infected toe?

I think I love him

Dubravka Trippier Lascelles Burn Targett Guimarães Shelvey Joelinton Fraser Wood Saint-Maximin Darlow, Krafth, Schär, Manquillo, S.Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Almiron, Gayle Squad sort of picks itself, but think that’ll be the XI and bench. Fernandez, Dummett, Ritchie, and Wilson are injured and Gillespie isn’t needed. Honestly think if Burn is fit, the biggest decision is Lascelles vs. Schär. I know who I’d be picking on ability and form…