TRon

He'll end up being another one of those who it's impossible to get money for as he doesn't want to leave. He'll play his contract out and leave for nothing. Or we give him a new contract. It's a lose-lose situation basically.

I'm surprised Trippier hasn't started more games tbh. Maybe Howe really does think he's lost a yard of pace. We look really sloppy in possession, too many players are uncomfortable when pressed. You expect that with some of the players on show, but a lot of that comes because players are still moving individually instead of as a unit so no one is available for the obvious pass. Maybe you just need more players on the pitch who actually want the ball, then once they get it are confident in doing something with it.

I saw that as well. Obviously I'm happy that we are overperforming, but we can't rely on hitting worldies or Pope making spectacular saves over a season. Luck will even out. We still haven't clicked yet, but hopefully a week on the training ground will fix that. Joelinton and Buno need to get into gear - it's one thing if lesser players aren't up to the mark, but that means we need less off days from our purples.

Feels almost wrong to post in this thread with our patchy football so far, but when we are 3rd in the table in a CL spot, grab it with both hands has to be the message.

That's a goal with most keepers tbf, don't think many would have kept that out. Pickford has the agility but his tiddly little arms wouldn't have stretched far enough.

Think he tends to look far better coming off the bench or starting once in a while like a squad player. When he plays as a regular he seems to feel the pressure to perform more.

He looks the type who'd prefer a quick chicken bucket with fries than poncey posh food tbf.

Didn't I read somewhere that he saw himself as a left midfielder when we signed him? I wonder if that's why Howe was reluctant to pitch him in last season, because he himself wasn't in the right mindframe for a defender?

He did have a really good understanding with Big Joe in the CL qualification season.

Yep, love that about him, he thinks a yard quicker than most. The potential is frightening if we had someone like Willock on his side for example.

I wouldn't dwell on it too much. As we aim higher season on season, the standards will go up. We have to remember, this is still really a forward playing as a midfielder now, so there will be some things which won't come naturally in a packed midfield area. Sometimes he looks a bit loose in possession, but at other times he's capable of some real finesse in there as well, like that turn and pass for the Isak goal against Spurs.

Finish? If you watched from the angle directly behind him, it was probably two yards wide at one point before curling in past a helpless keeper. That was a glorious strike.

I don't think being on the bench carries that much pressure, kid would probably love the chance to come on for 20 mins and have a run at the opposition.

Right. So you think we could set up different and make more use of our purples. Might have a point tbh, not really given it much thought just yet, I've been more concerned about just getting them on the pitch.

Yep. Technically he's on a different level, and his pace burns teams too. He hasn't been on the pitch much this season, but our football has been 100% better when he is.

His defending is decent, but having him at the back bringing the ball out and finding those passes makes all the difference to our football.

He MUST start. Even prior to today we were saying that we don't want Isak to be playing 90 mins every game. If Wilson is out for a while, we need to get Osula involved even if it's just to give us fresh legs and save Isak for bigger moments.

I think even if Tonali isn't suited to how we set up getting him in ahead of Longstaff will improve the football. Ditto Barnes with Murphy.

It will definitely help. Watching Longstaff and Murphy in that first half was painful.

I think we'll look better once we don't have substandard players starting in too many positions.

That's a different conversation though. Bruno hasn't been great, but he's not clumsy on the ball, and he doesn't shit his pants when he gets it.

I love Joelinton and always defended him, but yeah. As a player he has so many strengths, but as a midfielder his close control can be loose sometimes.

That was a weird game, always felt like we should have been in control, but we just quite weren't. Points are everything at the moment, and we really need to pick up all of them against lesser opposition. We are finding a way.

Same. As someone said above, even if they are talking about our game, it's usually guff anyway.

Both can be true.