Gallowgate End

£10million. Only half the £20million

We have a £14m fullback though. Who Manquillo?

Imagine having a £20million left back

I see Everton scored with another long throw goal. Everton the new Stoke

Didn’t they only have 1 shot on target against us in the home game and won? Correct and we had 27 shots. Take some doing for Brighton to get that lucky twice

They’ve only had 7 shots on target in their last 7 games And not scored for 6 matches in a row. I think even with Schar, Lejuene and Almiron out it will take some doing to lose to a team that is averaging 1 shot on target a game in their last 7 games

Eddie howe alert, Eddie Howe alert, Eddie Howe alert The last 27 games Premier League table. https://www.transfermarkt.com/premier-league/formtabelle/wettbewerb/GB1?saison_id=2018&min=9&max=35 Eddie Howe where you at

Merino and Longstaff could have been a great pair potentially

Someone needs to tell him we’ve won the most points outside the Big 6 clubs in the last 27 Premier League games More than big spenders West Ham, Everton and Wolves. Being best of the rest in the last 27 Premier League games suggests he could build onto it to be best of the rest over 38 games next season with not even that much investment.

Why? Another Saturday ruined for Richard Keys

Another season above the pundits favourite Eddie Howe

Just like last season

We’ve scored 2+ goals in 6 of our last 7 home games. NEGATIVE RAFA

Brighton 16% possession

Like I said after the Wolves game 9 out of 10 of them don’t add on extra.

Interesting that Rafa was saying in the past few days he and his coaching staff had a meeting together then specifically talked in detail about what he and his coaching staff are going to be adding to the training ground. Hopefully the other public comments are just a negotiation tactic

The fact Rafa Benitez went from managing Real Madrid to managing us in the same season suggests we have a strange undeniable pull as a club. None of the attractive reasons were ever Mike Ashley related. Our city and our people have shown to be the big pull in the past. Especially in getting Champions League winner Rafa Benitez to not only join but to stay when he could have easily walked. We just have to hope those same reasons which made him stay make him want to stay with us again

Leeds had 36 shots and lost Reminds me of our Brighton home game when we had 27 shots and somehow lost.

Mikel Merino the last to dribble past van Dijk. Surely I can’t be the only one that doesn’t believe it Most centre halves probably just bring the man down rather than risk getting beat outside the penalty area. Once in the penalty area you don't really have the space or time to dribble anyway, you would be blocked off by bodies. Decent point but over a 38 game season I just don’t see how 0 is even possible Even just 3 with Lascelles seems so unlikely. I always just thought of Lascelles as a great aerial defender never thought of him as a hard to get past 1 v 1 defender. Honestly don't recall seeing many central defenders getting skinned by dribbling, it's usually the full backs who are more exposed on the flanks due to the wide open spaces. But Lascelles is pretty decent at getting his foot in for the blocks, he's not just a great defender in the air. I mean it wouldn't have crossed my mind if it hadn't been mentioned but there you go. Aye probably not as common as people would think. Still find the stats hard to believe over a 38 game season though Schar last weekend against Zaha in the build up to the penalty is one I can think of recently and Anderson in the home game against Schar. The whole West Ham team against Hazard the other week and Lejuene against Hazard away are the few others I can think of.

Yaaaawn... What was I suppose to include Eddie Howe?

So who would people go for if Rafa leaves then I’d go.. Number 1 Hasenhuttl Plays our 3421 system would bring through Longstaff and has a Top 10 form record since being in the Premier League. Number 2 Garcia Done very well in the Premier League since joining Watford would the change to his open style suit our players would be my only concern. Number 3 Quique Setien Plays our 3421 system at Real Betis and would progress us as a team with the ball in our formation only concern is he isn’t proven in the Premier League. Wildcard option Arteta He got considered by Arsenal but probably too much of a risk. You’d imagine he has picked up some great training methods since working under Guardiola though.

Mikel Merino the last to dribble past van Dijk. Surely I can’t be the only one that doesn’t believe it Most centre halves probably just bring the man down rather than risk getting beat outside the penalty area. Once in the penalty area you don't really have the space or time to dribble anyway, you would be blocked off by bodies. Decent point but over a 38 game season I just don’t see how 0 is even possible Even just 3 with Lascelles seems so unlikely. I always just thought of Lascelles as a great aerial defender never thought of him as a hard to get past 1 v 1 defender.

Mikel Merino the last to dribble past van Dijk. Surely I can’t be the only one that doesn’t believe it

Apparently Lascelles has only been dribbled past 3 times this season The same list says Van Dijk has been dribbled past 0 times. I find both very hard to believe