Colos Short and Curlies

Didn't he get a small knock/tweak just before the league game v Chelsea? On te bench as a last resort, although that's not very Howe in approach I concede

I reckon the semis are going to b Arsenal, Soton, Spurs, Us. Midweek fixtures so they will of course fix it so that we get Southampton. Arsenal in the final

Worth trying Miley behind Tonali and Bruno?

On the fence, can see a 2-0 loss or a game where things just click against a slightly weakened Chelsea team and we ease to a 3-0 win

Unforced errors, players missing passes and shots that they would normally bury in their sleep, being caught out of position. There are too many examples and too many players guilty of this for it not to be in part linked to the tactics. We're talking the finest of margins in many cases and players not being comfortable with the shape and tactics will lead to these margins falling the wrong side. It's one of the reasons for the new manager bounce, they tend to come in and bring it back to being really basic. I genuinely want to be wrong on this, but there are just too many things hinting towards Howe having peaked with us.

I know its an old forum joke with defenders playing in midfield but I wouldn't mind seeing Tonali and Hall as a double pivot. We need one of Trippier or Targett back before trying it mind

I want to win the LC first, then Europa Conference, FA Cup, Europa League, Charity Shield, Premier League, Champs League in that order.

nah his role in life now is to always be ready just in case. i want JR sleeping in full kit wanker mode, including gloves ready for the day the smoke signals are raised

Rock and hard place for Eddie and the board come January. Spend big to support Howe and if it doesn't come off then we've got a squad not fit for many managers style of play Don't back him and keep the money for the summer, may as well sack Howe now and give a replacement the second half of the year to work things out Spend on club targets (i.e. Mitchell), you're hanging Eddie out to dry for the second half of the season.

I've no idea, it may well be the formation rather than the overall style. I'm sure we could still be direct and pressing as the primary focus with a number 10, and wither as the main man or the 10 maybe Isak would thrive. Or maybe the answer is a fit Wilson type player

Or Osula's Nigerian heritage. Double bubble for Jose, We're going to win the league man!

I think the uncomfortable truth is that we have 3 real top drawer players in Isak, Bruno and Tonali and a manager where his style does not get the best out of them. So we either cash in and build a squad that plays to Howe's strengths or we build an ethos around them (presuming of course that there is a system that gets the best out of all three) and bring in a manger who plays within that style

Not attainable now but I reckon we’d be in a slightly better position overall if they had landed Dracula instead of Howe. I wouldn’t go there as it would be very short termism but Jose would inject a winners attitude to the club. or there’s always lampard….

What’s the position from the start of the 22/23 season or even 23/24? after a sticky winter we were flying second half of the first season points wise and then obviously took a load 22/23. have we plateaued since then? Absolutely and that would begin to define reaching a ceiling. Note the begin there, it’s not a statement saying he has

the unknown there of course is that if we don’t get Europe the board will need to consider what the new manager will want and need

Great thanks, I had .store in my browser

Is soccer04 down / moved to a new site?

I haven’t seen one, just 2 different sets of cards. last season was a joke, 2 sticker books and 3 card options. And of course the kids in school all did different ones. i do love seeing the kids doing the old got, got, need bit outside school; somethings never change!

We’d need a dm or left back (to try hall back in midfield), and Botman back bit I’d like to see a variation on 3-5-2 Botman and Schar as a back 2 Hall/new dm playing as a 3rd cb or dm depending on the phase of play Bruno and Tonali as a midfield 2 Tino and Hall (or new) wingbacks Gordon as a ten Wilson and Isak up top With most teams playing 1 up top the 3rd centre half can be a spare part hence the hybrid cb/dm role

I love the peak of pre game postings, its like everyone is on happy pills

thats the bad boy

There used to be a decent little games shop in the Metro, corner of the red mall I think

The Zip Stick was a game changer

I'm pretty much the same, but I'd rather see Haaland jump to Spain and City look at Isak rather than Arsenal. He would take Arsenal up a level and an bit but wouldn't have the same impact at City