Memphis

Just seems to me that he's so disciplined about seeing us as a long-term project. What we're seeing now are the first few steps, getting the basics of defending drilled in, making sure that the entire squad - even the fringe players - understand their roles and understand that we have to be solid and compact throughout the side. Considering how mentally fragile we've been, that's no easy task. You can see the growth in Gouffran, Anita, Shelvey (to an extent), Lascelles, even Colback isn't quite as horrible as usual these days. I think we'll see this sort of match a lot over the first few months. Ideally once we're more comfortable and confident, there'll be a bit more flair. For now, this is exactly what we need. Settle the team down, get used to controlling matches and winning. We haven't had a mentality like that for a long, long time. I guess especially since we've had such clowns in charge for so long, to see a boss with a genuinely earned air of authority is reassuring.

"I was so excited to find out I had the chance to fulfill my ambitions by joining one of Europe's elite clubs... /looks at contract /looks at agent /sighs deeply "...Everton."

Two big issues in any Sissoko transfer: 1. Clubs don't really want to buy him 2. We don't really have to sell him Rafa's stance has been the same all along. He doesn't want to sell him for cheap, and doesn't have to. Either Sissoko knuckles down and tries - and he'll destroy this division if he does - or he sulks and is banished to the reserves, damaging his own career for the sake of his pride. And if he's banished, I don't think that will have much if any impact of the rest of what appears to be a very motivated squad. It's pretty much a win-win.

Skinned Colback completely and played a brilliant ball to Barkley for Everton's third against us a couple of seasons ago...

Looked good for Malaga in stretches, scored one and had some very promising dribbling/passing v Mauritius in his last international match. Has some pedigree, at least. Structure of the deal works well, too, I like a good "prove yourself" loan.

The old saying is "you have to earn the right to play" and I think we're still in the earning phase in Rafa's mind. We are drilling down all the details, still have a lot of work to do in continually dominating the middle of the pitch. We didn't have our two best forwards, we're still developing chemistry within the squad, yet we had a comfortable win against one of the better sides in the division. I don't think Rafa wanted to push forward in huge numbers, he wants the team to learn how to control games. By that standard, it was a good and promising performance. He's slowly lifting a moribund, sloppy group into higher levels of professionalism.

Whoops, sorry!

They had something like 7 or 8 managers last season alone but Ballardini - the one I referred to - was sacked in January and rehired in April

Palermo played a lot of 3-5-2 in the last couple of seasons with him as a wingback. Even tried some 5-3-2 and 5-4-1. Probably saw more action as a wingback than a fullback, to be honest. Got thumped by Roma 5-0, lost 4-0 each to Genoa and Juve playing 3 at the back. Lazaar got HAULED OFF in the 37th minute v Lazio down 0-2 when they started him as a LM in a 4-4-1-1, he and the LB gave up a lot of joy down their flank. Palermo sacked and rehired their manager, Lazaar was in and out of the mix in differing roles throughout. He seemed to be most effective in a 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 last season, played as an orthodox LB for Morocco in a 4-4-1-1. Also, if you know the song "How Bizarre" ( ), it's perfect for him: Our Lazaar Our Lazaar Our Lazaar Ooh baby He's making me crazy Every time I look around He's making plays

There is a lot to like about this one, had a chance to watch him pretty extensively. His crossing is streets ahead of anything we've seen on the left side in a while. He takes a fair few corners, too. Can float them or strike them low with pace. One of the better players Palermo had in terms of intercepting and deflecting balls, too. Concentration lapses have been an issue for him. He has played as a wingback a fair bit, also a little as a pure winger. Palermo has a couple of good fullbacks already so selling makes sense for them, too.

4th most crosses in all of Serie A last season, 12th per 90 minutes among fullbacks in the Top 5 European leagues. Certainly far beyond anything we currently offer offensively. He's really quick but prone to lapses in concentration defensively. Lots of deflections and interceptions, good reflexes. Get him in.

Lazaar had the 4th-most crosses total in Serie A last season and the most from any player from the left flank. Good passer. Did lose the ball quite a bit, though. Looks to be a tricky customer going forward. Certainly a much better attacking LB than any we could put out there, not that it would be difficult to achieve that.

You can be negative about a signing with good reason while also being hopeful that those negative qualities can be improved ipon here. There was perfectly good reason to be skeptical about the Townsend signing; it was incumbent upon the lad to prove the detractors wrong and he certainly did. If you have watched Yedlin over the years, as many of us from the US have, there is ample reason to be skeptical again. And hopefully that will be proven wrong again.

4 million fee has been discussed. Not the worst punt, I guess. Not the best, either. The type of fullback/winger we've all seen. Fast as fuck, no end product. Seems to have improved defensively a little during Copa America, but still committed a foolish handball v Colombia and got a previously-mentioned stone-cold idiotic red card v Paraguay. So not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, then.

He really is fast, though: https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4-mobile/4jor.mp4

Yedlin is fast enough to get himself into good positions and shit enough to waste most of them. Not especially good defensively either. Maybe Rafa can do something with him. Not excited.

The state of some of these pundits... Pep played Clichy and Sagna almost as central midfielders against the mackems, City barely win, people lose their fucking minds about it. Then they obliterate Steuea in midweek with a complete masterclass. It's almost like Pep might know what he's doing. Same with Rafa. Relax. The guy's pretty good at his job.

To me, this is a perfect performance and result. Important to get a decisive win to get the weight off our backs, but especially to do so having dropped players who didn't really perform while also more or less experimenting with different pairings, partnerships, and roles. This is a squad win. It's going to have to be a season where we rotate quite a bit so everyone, including the players, just needs to get used to it. It was always going to be a big adjustment to the Championship for Rafa and for the team. As he and they learn how to play more effectively in the division, they'll also learn who performs best and in what specific role.

"Well, Ando, looks like we just about got away with a 12-0 victory, but we never really looked like we got hold of this one." "Scoreline really flatters us. Sure, Gayle got three hat tricks, but never really looked like playing. A bit fortunate to score the 5 before the half." "Certainly going to have to improve. Rafa's got a lot of work to do."

Now THIS is the Championship I remember. Playing like shit, winning 4-1. Sounds about right.

Ritchie's playing remarkably well having completely lost a leg

I miss the Columbus radio guy. That guy gets it.

PC Pathetic cunt

I wish this asshole had wanted to play in the Premier League when he was in the Premier League.

If losing this match is to getting rid of Colback what relegation was to getting rid of Ashley's "head coach" system, then it's worth it.