Shak

I think it's fair for people to question Howe's choices. I'd say we got a bit lucky today, for as well as we did in stifling Fulham we struggled to create much more than a few half chances and had Mitro not slipped and we'd gone on to not win we'd likely have half the forum ranting and raving about setting up too negatively in home games coming off the back of this and the Leeds game. Personally find it a bit frustrating that we're not starting ASM in home games like this. We don't look like creating much when teams sit back against us and he's capable of things nobody else in our team is. However, I do get it. Firstly, he may not be where Howe wants him in terms of fitness. Secondly, it's clear that Howe's priority is to stop teams from being able to have the ball as much as possible and making us incredibly solid. Win the ball in dangerous positions and take advantage. He's turned us into an incredibly formidable side doing it, we can have no complaints. It's obviously going to be frustrating, at times. Had we drawn 0-0 today for the second consecutive PL home game then of course it'd be frustrating that we're starting 3 CBs and 4 CMs and wondering why we can't score. However, the trade off is that we get to go into every game for the rest of the season knowing we're going to give everybody we face an absolute battle. We've lost one game all season for a reason and I'm at the point where I'll be absolutely shocked if we have a game this year where we lose 3-0 and just never look to be at the races. It's a worthwhile trade off, for me. Give it a couple of windows and we'll have a left winger who's as dangerous as ASM going forward but can press like a fucking maniac too. A CM who gets around the pitch as much as Longstaff but is absolutely top class with the ball as his feet. A LB who is defensively solid as fuck but can bomb on and turn into an attacker when needed. Then we'll win the fucking league.

The game on February 18th against Liverpool could be so fucking huge.

I think he's rusty and not quite match sharp but it's hard to notice because even at 70% he looks dangerous.

The key for us will be not drawing too many games, especially at home. It's great that we're so hard to beat of course but at the end of the day a win and a loss is generally going to better than two draws (possible exception being when one is against a direct league rival) Today felt possibly like a bit of a turning point? Game looked for all the world like another like the Palace, Bournemouth or Leeds games. Frustrating home games that were just two points dropped. But finally we actually pulled one out of the bag. Helped that we were able to make such positive changes from the bench, of course. Still think it's Spurs and Liverpool that we're really focused on. Finish ahead of both of them and we'll get top four. Both have to come to SJP too.

If it's a significant injury then we'll have to move for a too quality replacement. Luckily Bruno is such a complete midfield player that he'll be able to play with anyone we bring in.

Guy is just a beast, should never play out wide again IMO it's an utter waste of his talents.

They've also got Man U on Wednesday so a short turnaround.

Anyone heard anything about this guy? Read that he got injured warming up at half time the useless waster.

I thought not starting ASM against Leeds was a mistake but it's hard to know how much of it was down to ASM's fitness levels.

Will be interesting to see if he starts to mess around with the setup in home games against weaker opposition. Last two games we've looked pretty ineffective in open play when teams are willing to defend deep and frustrate us. Happened a few times earlier in the season too, the Palace and Bournemouth games come to mind. Away from home it works great as we're so solid at the back and teams find it very difficult to pin us back with how good we are at pressing. At home... it looks a lot more noticeable that we're playing with three CBs and four CMs. I guess the theory is that you don't want to sacrifice the defensive stability by changing it too much, I don't know. Might just be as simple as committing to playing ASM or Isak on the left in home games instead of Willock/Joe? Would be great to have Targett back to give us a LB with a bit more attacking ability too.

Not sure what he was complaining about?

Fuck me, the stress of that

Aye, so often we're playing a pass without committing a defender. Almiron to Wilson was the worst one but been happening all day.

Man, Almiron plays that way too early. We're fucking putrid at picking a pass in the final third at the moment.

Trippier been fucking useless all game. Counter attack started because of his shitty cross that didn't beat the first man from a great position, then he just goes in and hacks at the guy. Braindead, massive let off.

Trippier been useless like.

Aye had that thought but the downgrade from Bruno to Longstaff is frightening. There's such little quality in the ball in our CM now. Wonder if we really go after Neves now.

Longstaff man, such an utter clogger

Be not shocking at all if he had a badly injured calf and had to come off straight away

Hope Mudryk is a massive flop.

Isak on, stick him on the left?

Christ, Maxi is such a crock

Really not a fan of this 11, there's just such a lack of quality in the final third. I guess the idea is that we're so defensively solid with it that we're hoping to nick games but we don't really look like creating anything at all when we have possession in the final third. It's all going to be predicated on winning the ball high up the field and catching a team out with the press. We've got two CMs sharing one CM role and the left sided attacker role and our most advanced CM is a hard working but incredibly limited player who offers nothing on the ball. Now that the one midfielder with some quality on the ball is injured we desperately need to change. Howe is going to have to start trusting ASM, hopefully he's the one who comes on.

Yeah once he was past Mitro it looked primed for him to take another touch and have a shot, was weird he seemed desperate to get rid of it.

Weirdly shite on the ball from Trippier twice in quick succession there, had plenty of time and just played rush balls that looked like they weren't to anyone in particular.