TRon

While they are stockpiling an impressive collection of top class players, you can imagine it can't be much good for building team spirit. Some of their players like Madueke have already been accused of taking their foot off the gas. I know some managers specifically don't like having large squads because it can affect the unity of the camp.

Villa are probably more of a threat aye, but what I meant was that Man U and Spurs means 2 teams less to worry about for a CL place unless they go on some sort of miracle run, and our form drops off a cliff.

Looks disturbingly authentic.

It'a weird because I detest Liverpool normally, but for us a win for them is probably the better result. I'll still probably end up being happier if they lose though.

Not gonna lie, I like him, he bring some colour to the game. Although this result is great for us so the angrier he gets the better.

I mean you can't really blame him.

Doesn't look like a pen that like.

If Man U and Spurs weren't so far behind us, I would agree. Their poor season so far has meant that teams like Brentford and Forest are up there in UEFA spots, and I'd be majorly disappointed if we don't finish ahead of them. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City are the teams I think we should consider out of our league squad wise. Fifth is definitely up for grabs, and which team is in a better position than us to take it?

Hard to see him getting much playing time for the first team now, but I think we have signed him as an asset, same way Chelsea probably signed Tosin. If Kelly does get sick of no game time, he should still fetch a decent fee as he's only 25. Pretty sure there would be takers as I reckon he's not half bad when he gets a run of games behind him.

I think he needs to have a bit of faith in his squad and rotate players who could do with a rest. The likes of Joelinton need a game out, and we do have other options in most positions other than striker. Don't need to go mad with it, I can understand he wants to keep the midfield intact, but we have decent options in Willock, Longstaff and Miley.

Even if he didn't he'd look 15% quicker at least!

I mean just about all of our players including Isak have been guilty of this at some point. The way we play trying to keep possession will mean we lose the ball a few times. I think Osula has a good half a season of working with our coaching team now, you would like to think he should be ready to pitch in a bit more now for the res of this one. The only thing which I'm not sure about so far is his goals instinct, but I assume we must have scouted him pretty thoroughly before spending potentially £15m on him. If he's not a finisher we shouldn't have bought him in the first place.

He's getting all the sitters out of his system in games which we are winning anyway. Saving all the killer instinct for the second half of the season.

Don't think it's the bald head which is putting years on, it's that combined with the santa claus beard. Shave the beard off and you shave a few years off IMO. I would make his signing conditional on him agreeing to take the Gillette to that man fluff.

I think this is what Howe wanted all along tbf, both of them switching positions on the pitch as and when needed. It just seems to have clicked better once Sandro was given the starting role in the deeper position.

I think that's because he's very dynamic and it's a lot harder to make the passes when you are slaloming between players. If he was just stationary and passing sideways I'm sure he'd make every pass. Love how fast he is at closing players down as well, he rarely gets done for pace.

Agree with this. While his stats are great, the football does get patchy on his flank because his touch and close control are inconsistent. While he's pulling out goals and assists it doesn't really matter, but it would be hard to reproduce that for another half a season. But at least it won't be a disaster if we don't sign a right winger this month.

Can't count it out.

Aye, despite the goal he was pretty fucking solid for the rest of the game.

Spot on. I was actually quite impressed with them, their pace and pressing made us work for that win. The whinging was misplaced as well considering they definitely got away with one when their lad smashed Gordon's nose in the penalty area.

In the end this was the perfect comeback game. Got his rust out of the system and the goal he got done for didn't cost us anything.

100%

I thought he actually stepped it up in the second half, was trying to cover for others who were struggling with the pace of the game.

Well that's the thing. I can understand he's pissed about our goal, but I genuinely think we'd have scored if their lad hadn't blocked off Gordon and bust his nose in the process. Swings and roundabouts.