TRon

Hopefully that will lift Spurs to get after a point or 3.

Same here, it's why I called the cup final a massive distraction.

I've got a feeling we might go with the Joelinton/Willock combo for both tomorrow and the cup final. Not only for the extra defensive cover, but because Barnes gives you some extra firepower from the bench if it's needed.

Something else to bear in mind, despite our huge injury blows to Hall and Botman, we were probably more effective defensively in our first season under Howe when we had neither. We relied on Targett and Burn and we were super hard to break down. This time round we've got Livramento as well who can play either side if needed. I think we might need to tweak our tactics a bit, as these players don't suit the press so much, but they can definitely defend if given some protection.

100%. I saw someone upset about Brighton's luck getting an injury time winner yesterday and how such results might cost us Europe. But these things even out over a season, if you end up 9th in the table after 38 games, that's the position you have earned.

This game has come at the wrong time of the season. The cup final will become a distraction, just can't see us going at it with the intensity it would need to bring off the win.

Fatigue is not a convincing excuse for us. Some of our worst performances this season have been after we've had a clear week of rest.

Exactly. Ornstein hasn't really said anything we didn't already know, but unless Liverpool are going to smash transfer fee records, they aren't getting him. Eales made a point this week specifically saying we aren't selling.

I think their style suits us as they don't press, they just sit back which gives our less composed players time on the ball. Every team we've struggled against has been pressing us relentlessly.

So he should be, he's made VVD look like a donkey every time we've played them. But why would we sell him, least of all to them?

We really are the only club who have managed to make City look good this season. It as a car crash of a performance both tactically and individually.

It's been good, but not fantastic as we've paid big money to secure his preferred targets, albeit most of them have been successful. We need Mitchell type of signings now where we buy players before they hit high values.

It's absolutely fantastic news. My worry was that at some point PIF would get fed up of PSR handcuffs and buy Man U instead. This shows they are here for the long haul.

We were giving them wide open spaces tbf, Marmoush must have thought he was playing in Egypt.

So you are judging by all time great standards rather than contemporary strikers playing today. Not the same thing. Also you used metrics like left/right foot, bravery, holding the ball up etc. While these are all great to have, it is ignoring stuff like vision, finishing instinct, pace, dribbling ability, insane first touch etc. Some of those abilities are so far above his peers that they are killer features in themselves. He has made the PL's top defenders like Saliba and VVD look helpless whereas some of those who hold the ball up better wouldn't get a kick.

Just the first on the list there, Goals RF vs LF Who gives a toss if he's banging in goals just about every game? I think there will be plenty of strikers who are better at holding the ball up, or go in for diving headers, but his qualities are so elite that he is multiple x more dangerous than all of them.

I think if we don't get CL, then he would probably be looking at going to a club where he can achieve that every season. Newcastle are still not at that stage so I can understand that he might start getting itchy feet. But he has a long contract so we hold the whip hand. Eales has already set the club's stall out that we are keeping him, so unless we get a really big offer, then he stays here, even if he would prefer to move on.

My gameplan there would be forget about possession, don't worry about playing it out, just get everyone defending 100% then smash them on the counter.

Think that would be a mistake. We aren't going to win the possession battle so we should just go with raw end product. We could set out a plan to concede possession over the 90 mins - which will happen anyway - but just beat them with sheer end product. Barnes-Isak-Murphy might not give you flowing football, but there's a potential winning goal or two if we can keep it tight at the back.

Since they use their defenders to link up with their midfield, we don't really win that battle either IMO. Otherwise we'd dominate possession, and I don't remember the last time we did that against them. We win it on paper only.

We don't have the money to look for two centre halves. I would imagine we'd just keep using Dan Burn assuming we expect Botman to be fit for next season.

I think they would have been fucked if it wasn't for our injuries. That gives them a better chance of overhauling us, if they don't qualify some of their loan signings are not exactly prudent from a PSR perspective.

At least Eales is putting out positive noises. If we take what he says at face value, just means we'll have to keep building steadily and put our CL aspirations back a couple of years. He's said all the right things about keeping our best players (although if we get a big offer we would still sell I would imagine) and he's said the owners are in it for the long term, with Howe as manager. Qualifying for Europe in some form is about as high as we can realistically aim for right now.

I don't really have any expectations from this now, so fairly relaxed about it. Don't think we have much chance, but never thought our chances were great even before the injuries. Would like to see us just play a carefree game and try to execute whatever the gameplan is without worrying about winning or losing.

If it means saving Isak for the final, then I would be prepared to take my chances against West Ham with a Wilson combo. If Isak aggravates any niggles then we could be having to face the rest of the season with Osula/Wilson. Not that Wilson would see out the season.