Gallowgate Toon

Pressing and intensity will still be a big part of what we do when at our best - I personally don't care for possession control as the main thing but it of course has a place in the toolkit. Howe said in today's presser a few are still working towards fitness - you can't do the pressing approach fully if you're carrying players not fit enough to execute it. Might explain our drop-offs after 20 mins in the last couple of matches.

I still feel excited about what we've got available when the majority are fit & firing. We have some fantastic footballers and, imo, genuine versatility in a number of positions that means we have some actual tactical flexibility, providing we stay largely fit. We could quite easily roll from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 in a game without making many subs. We've already seen Howe messing about with the shape a bit with 4-4-2 this campaign, and we ended the Forest game playing 4-2-3-1 with Bruno playing ahead of Joelinton & Longstaff etc. Our best side until the next window is genuinely tricky to pick in a few positions imo. The biggest thing for me is we find ways to consistently get B.I.G together in the attacking spots.

Tbf, he did, but he asked about 'working relationships' from the bit that I saw. Did a little stutter as well as he initially asked while ED was staring him down.

Dunno if it's been wrapped up in Tweets yet but he was asked if we only had 1 target and he said no and outlined reasons why it'd be bad for things like negotiating power if that was our approach. We missed out on multiple targets, apparently.

I just don't think what's happened this window reflects this small pool of elite players stuff. We've been linked to Guehi and Olise, yes, but also been linked to or signed: Kelly Osula Tosin Trafford There's obviously a level of comfort in improving the squad but we suddenly switched to just focusing on 1 player mid-way through the window and decided to stop all focus on a RW as well despite having good cash to play with?

It'll be interesting to see if Hope has the balls to ask Howe this outright tomorrow in the presser.

This briefing is ominous though, even though it's likely shite. Just don't believe Howe signed off on the Tosin strategy and then said said it's Guehi only.

Seems we'll only go for squad fillers if they're 'free' or about £10m...

The idea we've gone from Tosin being the CB target (who'd have been a competitive squad player, no doubt) to Guehi only just can't be right.

I think the seeming lack of outgoings is a bigger worry than the incomings, tbh.

I genuinely don't believe that Howe would rather spend the next months without anyone else unless it's Guehi - the framing of it is interesting. And even if that was the case for CB, what about RW if we've got money to spend now?

Club has taken a risk that going to the wire would get them what they want, seemingly. Very bizarre ordeal. It'd be absolutely disgraceful to not get at least one of a RW or CB in. There are many players out there who would more than do a job for us.

Hall did look really good the back end of last season so he clearly has the capability but he's young & learning his trade so it feels like he's going to naturally have these highs/lows throughout the campaign. He's a fantastically versatile option for us in that he can stick to the line or invert and I think we'll see the big benefits of that throughout the season.

Some big calls for Howe here. A few pick themselves but feels fairly open competition for a number of positions depending on the gameplan. Hall/Kelly Tino/Tripps Sean/Sandro Starting Barnes and Gordon together (plz, for the love of God)

He started his Leicester career on the right iirc. Absolutely no reason why we can't concoct something with both him and Gordon in the side.

We'll get a lot better. Still so early in the season and feels obvious to me we've got mixed sharpness, confidence etc. I think we've actually had some positive spells in both of the last 2 games for us to build on.

Top pen.

I keep getting frustrated that we're taking it long from GKs etc. and then see our defence trying to build play Disappointed in Hall, like. Fairly standard stuff for an away cup tie very early on in the season. We just need to build some rhythm.

Aye, he's had the ball in decent positions and been very wasteful. It is important we keep trying to get him in the game though. Not easy for a lone man against a back 3.

Looking very decent

Hopefully just a precautionary measure with him. So tough to see him distressed.

Pretty sure we're going to end up with either Disasi or Chalobah, tbh. Maybe loan, maybe a cheap permanent.

Fairly promising that this has come from the guy that Palace clearly brief? Although, that could mean he's been asked to basically do a 'last chance to buy' bit of PR before they resoundingly reject the offer Strange goings on at Palace, likely driven by the ownership turmoil. Potentially losing quite a few key players/characters without securing great replacements.

Would go strong. We need to build fitness, sharpness, and rhythm with our best 11 - it's a bit early to be worrying about rotation too much imo. Also, we want to win a cup!

If you asked both Barnes and Gordon if you'd rather be on the bench or starting RW, neither are saying bench. It's telling that Howe plays them both when we're chasing games - we can configure a starting lineup with them both in.