Shak

Fuck a comfortable 3-0 win would add years to my life. Will take a sloppy 1-0 if it's offered mind...

Kiss my fucking willy

Just square it you greedy cunt.

Soz, reflex. If it's Man U in a final again though you can fuck off all the same

You will if I have my say.

I'm massively in

Christ, they actually went and changed the time that they decided Salah played the ball to a moment he was onside. It's just blatant

State of that defending. Was well onside. Just don't get hammered you fucking wankers.

Would hope to see Targett in for this. Think we'll see Wilson on the bench. We won't want to start him on a Thursday with a game coming the following Monday and the Isak on the left approach hasn't paid off, better off having the option of one of them from the bench. Ideal scenario is Longstaff back and we can go Joelinton LW. If not, Maxi to start LW if he has 60 minutes in him. If neither Longstaff or ASM can start, I'd seriously consider Anderson in CM with Joelinton LW. Maybe he'll give Gordon another chance at LW but I'd be surprised. Christ, gonna be fucking terrifying this

We desperately need Longstaff or ASM to be ready to start. Isak left and Wilson up top hasn't worked but the only other option he's really had the last two games to play LW was Gordon who's been more or less useless. I guess maybe Anderson could have started but that's a massive gamble too. Longstaff back with Joelinton pushed forward to LW or else just ASM in for Wilson and Isak to CF. If neither of them are ready I really don't know what I think the right move is.

I've no doubt that after a bit of time under Howe's coaching and once he gels with his teammates he'll look significantly better. That said, I'm not sure I see him ever being good enough for where I think we hope to be operating as a team in the coming years. Be very surprised if he's ever significantly more in a top four squad than a deluxe Jacob Murphy.

Gonna just straight up miss this, my son has his communion at midday. Last game I missed was the Spurs game so hopefully a repeat of that.

Strong take, it's exactly the same as that Isak was by far our best player yesterday. Beat players with ease all day, hit the post with a header and laid what looked a goal on a plate for Willock only for Xhaka to get in at the last second. This notion that taking a forward and playing them in one of the wide positions in a 4-3-3 is somehow a death knell for their chances to be productive is laughable. You make it sound like we're sticking Bellamy on the right of a 4-4-2 all over again. Most of the best and most productive players the game has seen recently have played wide in a 4-3-3. The most obvious player comparison for Isak is obviously Thierry Henry. When he went to Barcelona where did he play most of his football? On the left of a 4-3-3. I'm not even adamant that he should play there. Think he'll be quality either in the centre or on the left. Much will depend on the way Howe wants his front three to operate. Top CFs are harder to find so I suspect Isak will end up in that spot. Just the notion that playing a forward, especially one with as well rounded a game as Isak, wide in a 4-3-3 is somehow wasting them is ridiculous.

It's almost certainly a bit of recency bias but I'm leaning more towards bringing in a true DM and allowing Bruno to play further forward. With the way he plays the game he's going to get caught in possession a decent bit and you don't want that from your deepest midfielder. I wouldn't want him to really change the way he plays either, you want him taking risks on the ball. Also, against top passing teams who can beat our press and get the ball forward I don't know if he offers much protection to the back four? Would love Rice here, think he'd be perfect in that role. Whoever we do get has to be really comfortable on the ball, Bruno's ability to receive it deep and start attacks from deep is crucial to how we play. Doesn't have to be a passer on Bruno's level, but someone who can at least receive it deep, beat a press and play a positive pass when needed. Would be excited to seea fully fit Bruno in a more advanced position, think he's got goals in him. Can obviously cover the #6 position too.

I mean I mostly hope we sign him because he'd improve us a lot but I'm a petty, petty man

Pretty sure the plan was for Maddison to be the addition in January and it was expected to happen. Seems like at some point Maddison decided to wait until summer to see if he had other options and we decided to bring in Gordon once his situation at Everton turned sour. He was probably on our radar as a long term target so it made sense to do the deal while they liked the value. Part of me hopes we make CL, decide we like some other targets better than Maddison and he doesn't get a big move. Signs for like West Ham or something after we give them money for Rice.

Have a hard time seeing Man U not getting what they need from their last four fixtures tbh, though of course you never know.

I'm not sure what a ref is supposed to do about players going down and faking injury to slow games down tbh. Would love to see some legislation brought in to stop it but until it is they don't have the option to not stop play and allow treatment, even when they know a player is pretending.

I mean, they're both excellent players but Isak looks to me someone who could become one of the very best in the game. We should be building the team this summer to make sure we get the best out of this absolute phenom. Was hoping he'd be given a little more license to roam today with Willock playing more close to a LM role. Think Isak on the left can absolutely be successful, but you want him drifting infield occasionally and picking up the ball in a variety of positions.

Not sure I agree. Reffed it how I'd like to see all games reffed, were plenty of times (for both teams) I expected the whistle for a free kick after a stern challenge and he just waved it on. Thought it contributed massively to the flow of what was a very exciting game.

Aye, Botman should probably have managed to block it if we're being perfectly honest. Just not our day, really.

Occasionally I remember some people being against VAR being brought in because it would remove the controversy from the game and make it less interesting as a result

If he'd started central we'd have probably had Gordon out there being shite on the left. The biggest issue is that there's a massive gulf in class between Isak and the rest of our front three options. We need two of him, essentially. One for the left and one central. Hopefully we'll have Longstaff and Maxi back for the run-in. Was excited to see Wilson and Isak start together but when we were a goal down and Wilson was playing like shite it was a bit of a shitter trying to figure out what to do.

It's OK to point out that a player played shite. Nobody crucifying him?