TRon

You can see it out there even without the stats.

Who to?

He's one of the few who's managed to keep the ball in tight spaces when he's getting pressed though.

It's a problem, same with Murphy, he's doing some great approach work but then inevitably passes to the opposition or launches the ball 20 yards into nowhere.

The score could literally be anything at the end of this. We could win 5-3 or they could win 4-2. We should have scored a 3rd when it was 2-1, but we kept getting into great positions and fucking up the final pass. They look like scoring too often as well, our defence is struggling to cope with their pace.

Gordon keeps misplacing passes.

What he really needs is another striker on the books who can share the workload.

Hopefully they won't need to come off the bench.

Even if that's how it transpires, it won't be a disaster for us. Our real need next season will be for another striker, a young CB understudy, and if possible a RW option. We'll have a lot of players coming back from injury so our squad will look a lot better than it has this time round. But we do definitely need a striker to replace Wilson so I imagine if we can sell a couple of players we will be able to bring in some.

Manchester based reporters probably.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Agree. It makes absolutely no sense to move him on unless we are getting a reasonable fee. He's still only 29 and has mostly done a stellar job for us. Just shows how tight money is when clubs won't pay a fee for a proven PL CB.

Thought he actually sounded like he knew what he was talking about which surprised me somewhat. Always imagined the image of a shithousing scamp meant he wasn't really that deep, but he gives a decent interview.

I'd we lose another central midfielder then he needs to, I'd be a bit pissed if we still see Ritchie jogging onto the pitch ahead of him.

I agree, I think the only reason anyone is suggesting playing youngsters is when the squad has been decimated by injury. So if Alfie Harrison can play in midfield or wide left, it's not that outrageous to suggest he could come off the bench given the absence of Joelinton, Tonali, Barnes and Isak. Ideally we'd have brought in a midfielder in the window but for whatever reasons we haven't been able to.

Must admit the "he fking hates sun'lun'!" end line always cracks me up because it makes no sense whatsoever.

If the soundbites are coming out of St James Park that Wilson is still doubtful and that Isak has a chance, then I think Isak starts. I'd rather he didn't though and just take enough time to recover properly .

Neither have I, I go by the old Cloughie maxim - if he's good enough he's old enough. Not sure it was actually Cloughie who said that mind, but you wouldn't put it past him.

He's 18 not 14. I'm sure he must be capable of coming off the bench unless he suffered from some form of malnourishment recently.

Cutting back inside is useful as a part of a winger's arsenal, but when it becomes the default it's counter-productive for just that reason you mentioned. It gives the defenders time to regroup, and then they facing the ball rather than chasing it.

What happened to the Lascelles move? I don't think it's gone through yet so the Manquilo move might be the only deal of the window.

Hopefully with us having no genuine striker for this one, they'll be confused how to defend and we can sneak an early goal while they are figuring out who to mark.

Good. Don't really want to see him in action until he's match fit. Gordon can go up front for one game.