KaKa

That's gotta be a yellow, FFS

You at the game? If not, I'm very confused.

Kaka is going to be an absolute state after a classic 2-0 loss come 5pm

Nah man. Just excited to see how the system works. I guess at least we'll know now whether it works or not. Seeing that damn 4-2-3-1 set up every game with two horrid central midfielders in the middle, and two decent ones out wide was doing my head in. We need to try other things, and it's about damned time.

Have we ever won a game with 3/5 at the back?

It really fits our current personnel, which is more the issue for me. God please let this work. It could set us up for a great second half of the season.

Could argue Thauvin in for Mbabu/Dummett like.

Probably would have gone for that if we were the home team. Think it's fine myself. Love Mbabu since that debut at left back. Think he'll be awesome today in that role.

Christ, nearly playing a full 11 in their proper positions? Mental. Happy to see Perez and Mitro up top too

If we don't look great going forward today, I will be so disappointed. Mitro and Perez, with Wijnaldum and Sissoko pushing forward from central areas should be mouth watering stuff. Let's see if we manage to somehow screw it up.

Man ... this is a huge game. If we look great and hopefully win, it could start the process of hopefully changing to a different midfield. Really need that midfield three to be amazing, so it will finally click for McClaren to play Sissoko and Wijnaldum central.

He's shown he can put in a good performance at centre back. At left back he has never looked convincing IMO.

Absolutely love that team! At last something different. The midfield with Sissoko and Wijnaldum pushing forward to support Perez and Mitrovic could be amazing.

Dummett as one of the three centrebacks also puts him in his stronger position, and the balance of the back three looks really good.

Happy for Mbabu too. He bombed forward amazingly well at left back, and should do even better as a left wing back.

Pretty excited now!

Pato story is a good read. I'm rooting for the guy, seems to have a great head on his shoulders. I think whoever takes a punt on him will be richly rewarded. It won't be us, unfortunately.

Leading Ivory Coast to African Cup Of Nations is a great achievement and I kinda see his point about that counting a lot, and the best players should be intensely focused on being the best. It would help however if he bothered to turn up half the time for his club, Aubemayang has clearly been the better player of late, Toure is not influencing and scoring like he used to.

How much did he really play a part in that anyway? He usually looks awful for them. They have so much more talent than everyone else and should be embarrassed it took so long tbh. The man is a moron. He did not do it himself.

Benteke has been so bad. Worth a punt I guess. Don't know what happened with the guy, but he looked so promising in his younger days. Wouldn't be surprised if it worked out brilliantly for Liverpool, would be so typical! Probably end up doing a Bojan for them, but even better.

Meanwhile ... we are bidding for people who do not want to come, at clubs that do not want to sell. Sound.

I really can't stand this guy. Wish it was 12 months, so I could get a break from his silly face.

Looks like the guy wasn't even starting games this season. Unreal that they wan that much in actuality. January window man. Proper headache. Made our bed though, and so will have to lie in it. Pay up!

Man ... these jokers.

January is such a tough time to get a top tier striker. Doesn't look they have great plans in place either. Should have bought this calibre of player in the summer for goodness sake. We are so screwed.

Yaya Toure man ... the nerve of that guy. What a disgusting attitude on the diva.

That was mentioned a while back. Quite strange really. He's done well in France for ages now and is still at Toulouse. Someone's got to take a punt on him sometime. Got a really good scoring record there.

Pardew man. Set us so far back. No debating about it.

Would be doing the same thing for us man. We f-ed up.

Alan Pardew still costing us. Fantastic.

Ouch ...

Newcastle apparently had a €30m offer for Alexandre Lacazette accepted by Lyon, but the player turned it down, claims @Julienchaps of BeIN.

L'equipe saying we're bidding €25m for Lacazette

Isn't that what we were rumoured to be looking to pay for Berahino in the summer? But West Brom wanted more? Guess we'll see about that. The Lacazette hype has definitely died down for the moment, so would be a good time to go for it. We're not that smart though. I'd be very surprised.

Remy was brought in from QPR.

I understand that but, they got him from France nicking him from right under our stupid noses. He was brilliant right away is more the point I was making, and we did pay the fee required at the time, which was a realistic one for us.

People knock France but ... Ben Arfa, Remy and Cabaye were brought in from there man. We just need to get the right type of players in. Simples.

Sounds like it will be Saivet and others Mole. Saivet sounds alright. Looked good in the tie with Liverpool, though that's all I've seen of him really. Kante was such a low key signing for Leicester and has been brilliant for them.

We just have to pray that the club nails it this time around. We're due some studs from there for sure after not quite getting it right with a few of late.

We were even previously linked with the Toulouse striker too, the one that used to be in futsal ... Ben Yedder? Could be him also. More realistic than the two you mentioned perhaps.