Gallowgate Toon

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.

Midfield options

We had these exact types of performances then too though. Second game that season was Brighton away and we were well beaten in general play while looking very leggy.

Thought he looked weirdly heavy today.

Aye. Seemed we set up to counter for some reason - looked like we didn't want to get into a firefight with them which doesn't feel a ringing endorsement of Howe's trust in the current state of the squad. 4-4-2 can't work with Gordon and Isak though as they're both weak - when you inevitably need to knock it longer, they can't do much more than just get in the way or maybe scrat the odd lucky second ball. We had such a poor platform to try and control the game.

I think our general change of shape and Barnes helped just as much. Tino is a good dribbler but passing needs to improve - somebody a little more technically secure than Longstaff ahead of him will help.

No issue with him not starting today. We need to be really careful with his fitness.