John P

Exactly, good riddance.

With Ritchie, Krafth and Willems likely out, we'll probably have to play Dummett and Manquillo as the wing backs so guessing we'll go something like this: Dubravka Schar Lascelles Fernandez Manquillo Hayden Longstaff Dummett Almiron Atsu Joelinton

Anyone seen the Luke Edwards piece on Shelvey saying he's not lazy? Well, the Daily Mail has run the exact same story, with the exact same quotes, apart from one extra quote that Luke Edwards decided to omit: "It was Shelvey who paid the price as Bruce switched formation from 3-5-2 to the 3-4-2-1 employed by Rafa Benitez last season. 'Defensively, we looked sound,' said the 27-year-old. 'We need to work on what to do offensively with the ball, but that will come. 'We've had that instilled in us with Rafa, that formation, and the gaffer has picked up on it and it seems to be working." Edwards really is shameless in his pro-Bruce / anti-Rafa sentiments isn't he?

Are people watching this?

http://www.true-faith.co.uk/the-numbers-game-why-everything-steve-bruce-knows-about-football-is-wrong/

We've played one game and I'm already sick of hearing Bruce trot out absolute nonsense in press conferences. God help us.

Gary Neville contradicts himself at least 3 times in that article. Nonsense.

It's almost as if Rafa Benitez knew what he was doing regarding pre-season conditioning.

Appreciate the positive comments everyone. I'm hoping to write a few more articles as the season progresses, for therapeutic reasons if nothing else.

Did you write that? It pretty much nails it for me, like. Yeah I did. Found myself so frustrated on Sunday that I thought I'd write something to let it out! Glad you agree.

Thought I'd stick this in here: http://www.true-faith.co.uk/what-the-f-is-happening/

Almiron looks like he could be a good player but will be judged on goals and assists. Big couple of months for him coming up as he certainly needs to improve in that area. He looked absolutely knackered in the second half also. But Brucey has been running them into the ground in training for 4 weeks, they should be the fittest team in the league?!

Like his father, what Alex Bruce is saying there doesn't make any sense. Yes, it would have made sense to bring Willems on in CM as he has played there before. But he didn't, he apparently screamed "what the fuck is happening" when Willems went to CM, and he clearly then spent the rest of the game at LWB. Talking utter nonsense.

Yeah, wishes Steve Bruce, the players and fans good luck. Nicely done

Do we reckon Kean is going to be starting straight away for Everton, or will he be eased in slowly?

Is a year younger and has a similar record to Pepe before his incredible season last year. Maybe he'd be one who we actually get from France before they become mint and move for millions more a couple of years later. Or he'll just be shit.

Yep, as if all £3-5m signings end up being class.

Perez - ASM Rondon - Joelinton Diame - Shortstaff Joselu - Gayle Am I forgetting someone? + A new pair of fullbacks I wouldn't say buying 2 young players who have never scored more than 7/8 league goals in the German and French leagues is replacing our 2 top scorers from last season. (ASM also seems to play a different position to Perez). Likewise Diame, who featured a lot in the last 2 seasons, isn't replaced by an academy graduate who has never played a minute of competitive first team football. Gayle is clearly out of favour, hasn't featured at all in preseason, and has been rumoured to be leaving all summer. Kenedy hasn't been replaced either. We've signed 2 fullbacks who arguably are no better than the ones we currently have. It is replacing them though isn't it? The question is whether they've replaced them with sufficient quality, and that's obviously to be determined. It might prove to be absolutely disastrous, or it might not. And Gayle's been injured all preseason (so we're told at least). Ok I'll rephrase - we haven't adequately replaced the players we've lost. We're taking a massive risk on replacing proven performers with inexperienced youngsters and putting massive pressure on them to perform straight away.

Perez - ASM Rondon - Joelinton Diame - Shortstaff Joselu - Gayle Am I forgetting someone? + A new pair of fullbacks I wouldn't say buying 2 young players who have never scored more than 7/8 league goals in the German and French leagues is replacing our 2 top scorers from last season. (ASM also seems to play a different position to Perez). Likewise Diame, who featured a lot in the last 2 seasons, isn't replaced by an academy graduate who has never played a minute of competitive first team football. Gayle is clearly out of favour, hasn't featured at all in preseason, and has been rumoured to be leaving all summer. Kenedy hasn't been replaced either. We've signed 2 fullbacks who arguably are no better than the ones we currently have.

The point about injuries is very significant. We had a very weak squad the last 2 seasons which Rafa was able to squeeze every last ounce out of and our injury record was great, probably the best I can ever remember. Pushing the players early in the season with no doubt much inferior fitness methods is probably going to end in disaster and stretch our wafer thin squad.

Apparently we were working on 2 deals yesterday, but now Douglas is saying he thinks it's unlikely we'll get a CM or a striker in, so looks like Krafth will be last one in. Another terrible window where we haven't even replaced the outgoings, let alone strengthen a weak squad. Mint.

How did he do on Saturday?

Yeah I saw The Athletic were hoovering up a lot of writers over the summer. I've taken the month free trial to see what it's like.

Some StatsBomb analysis of him. Click on the link for a few different graphs.

The issue with this (if it's true) being that we don't play with wingers and it sounds like he's an out and out winger? Would end up being a classic case of the club buying players for the manager/above the manager's head which don't fit the manager's system or plan. he can also play up front Fair dos, I thought he was an out and out winger. Sounds like the sort of player Bruce will struggle to get the best out of though. Just read a feature which states his end product is awful too.