TRon

When you have 3 games in a week rotation feels pretty significant for me tbh. I felt like we got that wrong yesterday, I don't think we should be starting Joelinton and Bruno with a CL game on Tuesday.

We could really use a decent back up LB. If Murphy's not good enough, then we need to get a young hopeful who is.

Thought he actually started off pretty well, he was evading the press better than a lot of our players, but he got more ragged as the game progressed. He feels like one of those players who needs to be upgraded for us to evolve, but it would probably cost a lot of money to actually get someone much better. Haven't seen enough of Ramsey to know if he's the answer, but hopefully he is.

Yeah and he should use them when we need to rotate.

Case in point...he did great work to get on the outside a couple of times yesterday, but then just chipped in the cross with no venom so the guys at the back post couldn't get any power on their header. Granted he was crossing with his wrong foot, but that's what inverted wingers have to do. PL defenders aren't going to allow you to cut in and shoot every time.

If I've got one criticism of Howe, it's that he doesn't trust in youth enough. He'll go with experience even when players like Joelinton or Bruno need a rest rather than start Miley, or Anderson when he was here. I feel Rafa was better in that regard, he would rotate players ruthlessly, and many of us used to get quite pissed about it.

I'm assuming Howe would have been aware of his technical shortcomings before we signed him, but thought his attacking strengths more than made up for it. That's why yesterday was particularly disappointing. He seemed unsure of himself and didn't go for the jugular. We need to come to terms with him losing the ball occasionally, as long as he's getting at opponents and making things happen.

One thing I will say in his favour mind, he's showed flashes of nice incisive one touch passing moves with team mates, so he's got some good attacking instincts. Maybe a goal or a couple of assists will boost his confidence and we'll see him kick on from there.

Tbf, we did try to sign Mbuemo, but he wanted Man U. Even though they have been shite, he's looked top class when I've watched their games. It just seems like we couldn't get him, so then we went after Elanga and paid almost the same amount even though he was nowhere near as good. He's quicker, but Mbuemo is light years ahead in terms of intelligence and assurance.

I'm really surprised that Howe has done this again. He was criticised for playing Bruno for 90 mins against Bradford after he'd had a heavy load of fixtures, and I don't think he's helping himself by not rotating considering we are playing 3 games in a week quite often.

Yep. I was hoping it was just nerves when he ran the ball out of play the last time he started a Premier game, but today when he's through on goal and his first touch goes sideways...

The football is poor IMO. It feels like the only time we are dangerous is when we are throwing players forward in desperation, and then we are just as likely to get caught on the break when it breaks down. Our most fluent performance was against Bradford by a country mile, but that's like Anthony Gordon tearing up shit teams when he's playing for England.

Don't know if they were tired, or the formation just didn't work today, but Brighton were all over us today. They pressed us into oblivion.

It's not the points which are the main concern for me. Like I said, I just don't see the forward line clicking, and I said this before the game as well. I don't even know how Woltemade has got 4 goals, he seems to score with basically the only chance he gets. He's not the problem though, the wide forwards are not running off him at all.

I just don't see the goals in this side until Wissa is back to offer us something different. By that time we could be well off the top 5.

No one likes to admit it, but @Froggy called it when we were chasing him. I really hope he turns it round, but too many heavy touches doesn't inspire confidence.

CL qualification is fading into the distance. Better make the most of it this time round.

Aye, but the season will a write off by then.

Howe obviously really likes him, we chased him for a year even as the price kept going up. He's obviously got weapons which can hurt a team, but then so did Adam Traore.

Or England play against worse defences and it's easier to look good in those games.

Thought they won the pressing game today tbh. We were better in the second half but we looked more open at the back as a result.

Brighton terrorising us with their press.

Woltemade is basically operating in midfield. We need players in the final third to threaten their goal.

Exactly.

He's not comparing very well to the RW who is playing for them.