Shak

Watching, I really think him being the deepest of the three midfielders is what's best for us. So hard to press us when he's providing an outlet and he can create a yard of space and ping a ball forward to start a counter attack. Also, in attack having him lurking outside the box ready to play a killer ball like he did for Almiron makes us so dangerous.

At this point in his tenure, Bruce was still talking about how hard it was to change the style of play of the team under Rafa

We'd totally end up banging during a game if we moved to Norway.

That was like watching fucking Xavi and Messi FFS

God we're class

Thuram just seems such a no-brainer.

Makes Darren Anderson look like Brett Fabre, this lad.

Joelinton for me.

Can't really fault your post and this part in particular I agree with. Think we're going to be signing a lot of players nobody has heard much about and the idea will be to get them at the stage Napoli did Kvar last year of Brighton got MaCallister. Just think we also won't be afraid of making the odd splash signing if the right player presents themselves and this guy looks like the kind of winger Howe would create in a video game to be the perfect fit for his system. You're probably right in that it's unlikely, but the idea we've no chance seems wrong to me. Think we're gonna make some head turning signings over the next year or two.

Obviously we'd have to finish in a CL position but if we do then thinking we have no chance is mad to me. The policy seems to be that we go for quality rather than quantity, I'd expect next summer will be the same with one or two eye catching signings and then opportunistic deals for players with contract situations we can exploit or for youngsters that Ashworth has identified. If we have CL money coming in then I could see us pushing the boat out if this guy is someone we really want. They did it with Isak, no reason they wouldn't again. Of course, it'll depend who else is after him. But I think you underestimate the appeal that NUFC would have if we made it into the CL. As Klopp said, with the spending power we have there is no ceiling and players and agents know it.

Could see Kvaratskhelia being the marquee summer signing. Hard to see Napoli selling in January but he seems perfect for what Howe wants us to do. Absolutely dynamite with the ball at his feet but will also run his bollocks off when we don't have the ball. Could see ASM being moved on to balance the books at least somewhat.

What sort of allowance do they get in terms of time to stay in their country and celebrate? Imagine how grim it'll be for them to come back to Europe and start training again. These I'll be the greatest, most memorable days of their lives. I'd insist on getting everything I could from it, try to visit every fucking primary school in the country.

7th would be a pretty big disappointment, at this point. Looking at the last few seasons, the magic number of points for a top four finish fluctuates quite a bit year to year. 4th places finisher the last ten years has been 71 67 66 71 75 76 66 70 79 73 Anything in the 70s and we're gonna have a real shot. 40 points from the next 23 games would get us to 70. That's a bit of a drop off from our 2 points per game pace that we're on, still not easy but doable!

I thought CF was his strongest position?

There were some rumours that teams were looking at Wood, weren't there? Potentially getting in Thuram to replace Wood in the squad and breaking relatively even from the deal would be hilarious. Thuram looks decent like and seems like he's versatile enough to play anywhere across the front three. Absolutely the ideal kind of player we should be adding as he'll add depth to all of the front three positions.

Aye, definitely excited to see more of him with Wilson or Isak as the CF instead of Wood. When he does get his head up he plays some tasty little passes at times.

Probably be the same team as last night, tend to agree. I'd stick with Willock over Longstaff personally but I can see the argument. If we do go for a Joelinton, Bruno, Willock trio I'd be interested in seeing Joelinton on the right side of that trio. Willock seems to play much better when he's on the left side.

Feel like us winning or the game being a draw is a fair bit more likely than Leicester winning so that just doesn't make sense, to me. Especially when you consider that it's giving up the chance of three points to secure one. Particularly given how hard we've been to beat all year anyway.

In the sense that you'd be reasonably satisfied if the game ended in a draw or that if offered a point now you'd accept it?

It's a surprise to me that Target hasn't worked his way back into the team. He's probably better defensively than he is going forward so asking him to do what Burn does when we have the ball and form part of a flat back three doesn't seem like it would be at all hard for him. Would allow us to be much more flexible within a game, switching to him being more of an attacking full back if we're struggling to create and want to change it up for ten minutes or so or if we need to chase the game late.

Presume the only question mark is whether we'll start Longstaff or ASM. Joelinton playing in CM or LW depending on the choice that's made there. Assuming he's fully fit, I'd hope we go for ASM but would understand Longstaff getting the nod. Can see the logic in leaving Joelinton on the left against a team who can play a bit like Leicester can, him along with Wilson and Almiron is such a relentless trio to press high and get the ball back. I just don't know if Allan is ever gonna get there in that regard and it's always gonna be something that'll have to be taken into consideration. He needs to be absolutely dynamite in attack to justify what we lose in pressing.

Basically fielding the strongest team we can, that. Wilson in for Wood the only change from the team that beat Chelsea, I think.

God I hope Tina Turner is still alive and they give her a chance at redemption from the penalty spot in the opening ceremony. Like, if that's at all possible they better do it.

Aye Dublin in particular has a huge Brazilian population but any of the cities and bigger towns you'll find a pretty decent amount of them. Small town about 15 minutes from me called Gort was where it all started about 15 years ago, a few guys came over from a meat factory in Brazil that closed down to work for the guy who owned another factory here. They did quite well and more followed. Town only has three or four thousand people but I think to this day nearly half of them are Brazilian, at one point I believe the population there was over 50% Brazilian. One funny side effect was the local soccer team's sudden upturn in fortunes after dozens of Brazilian lads in their 20s started to live there. The image of a bunch of hungover Irish lads showing up to the Sunday league to be unexpectedly faced with a team of Brazilians representing a little farm town in the west of Ireland always gets me

We're about 10 years away from our massive Brazilian population starting to pay off, I predict. We'll see who's laughing then.