TRon

Aye he's always been a good solid defender. Feels like he gets flak for not bringing the ball out like Beckenbauer sometimes, but he can still move it around well enough at the back.

The Sky wankfest over Szbozlai is riling me right up.

Felt like that to me as well, think @Froggy is in ultra defense mode here.

Dunno like, I was disappointed we got to the 70th minute with only a goal lead. It was a mixed performance for me. Great energy and the press was back to it's best, but we did keep making bad choices or bad touches in the final third. Not going to complain though, the three points is what counts and thanks to our outstanding defence, we never really looked like conceding.

MOTM for me, goal apart showed great control in tight areas in a game where we were a bit sloppy sometimes.

Think he lacks a bit of finesse at times, seems to run into players a lot, but then he does that when they have the ball as well so it works both ways. He's in their faces a lot and can't be much fun to play against. I think our press is much better when he's playing.

Just the usual for me. Loads of energy and running, but lacking the finesse at times, often runs into trouble.

Mixed feelings about that. While we've absolutely mullered them in most respects, our finishing has been sloppy, Andersson, Isak and Longstaff should all have scored. The game should be out of sight, but hopefully we'll score early in the second half and put this to bed.

The only error is our wayward finishing. We are murdering them otherwise.

How did he fucking miss that?

We are playing cush here, really harrassing the fuck out of them. Should be a couple ahead by now, Longstaff should have scored.

Not so bad then.

Does the ban carry over for European games as well?

While it's true he's only got one foot, he does hit some pretty good ones with it. A few screamers last season and two already this time round.

That's fair enough, he does seem to have played in all the hard ones.

I think it's perfectly justifiable tbh, Tonali has looked off the pace, it affects our intensity when everyone isn't at the same level.

Feel like Pedro is a more out and out forward mind, he seems a bit more physical, with Isak winning on skill and finesse.

Always like Lascelles anyway tbh, he's rarely let us down. Incidentally I didn't realised Dummett was only 32. I had assumed he was about 35 he's been out of the side for so long.

I was gutted when we didn't sign him, but can't really argue against going for Isak instead.

Thought Dummett would be a more natural replacement being a left footer, but I guess Howe doesn't want to push his luck.

We played into their hands really. Pressing high needs 100% buy in otherwise you just leave loads of space in behind if they beat your press. I think we were caught between two stools, neither a high press or a low block. It was a confused mish mash really.

That's really important. Gordon's been in the best form of his career, but he's going to need some rest over the next couple of weeks, it wasn't the best time for Barnes to get an injury from a team POV, and of course it's rotten luck for him personally as well.

It's just a polite way of telling the journalist to mind his own business.

Would be great to knock both Manchesters out of the cup mind.

Fuck off.