alexf

Yeah I agree, we should keep what's working and it means we have a strong bench. Same logic applies for Barnes, he's a great impact player to bring it. I was just trying to say I understand why there might be some noise from various people wanting to see more of Tonali, but it's only natural where there is unknown potential, that we all hope he eventually will fulfill. Only heightened by the delay to see him play regularly for a year. But as long as the player isn't kicking up a fuss then there is no need to rush whilst results stay strong. And he certainly shouldn't kick up a fuss after getting himself banned for a year.

See, I take your points. But when you start using language like "local clogger" and "Prime iniesta" and putting them in quotation marks, even though I didn't remember seeing people using these terms to describe the players? It feels unnecessary. There is plenty of evidence of Longstaff playing for long spells in the side and looking poor. Yes he's in better form at the moment and plays a very important and unique role within that current midfield 3. But he is helped by having the right players around him (Willock). Just as much as Tonali would be I feel if he plays. Also Longstaff looks pretty useless in that deeper role when he's asked to do so. In the same way I don't think Tonali is suited to the Longstaff right side runner role either. He likes to get on the ball more like Bruno and seems more suited to that role. So already comparing them like for like seems silly. It's fine to be happy with current results and to keep the starting 11 as is. But we have seen with our own eyes Longstaff now for what 6 years? People know his strengths and limitations. It's only natural that when we sign an Italian international with a strong reputation for £50m+, people will be more excited to see him in the side. Especially as he's now starting to acclimatise to the league it seems and is begining to show that expected ability.

Yeah was just about it say. People bringing up the stats with all these guys playing together are missing the obvious. It's not Longstaff that's turned our form, it's Willock being back close to something like his 22/23 self. He was the missing legs in that midfield. I know we haven't seen it yet but a Tonali, Bruno, Willock midfield will be better than when we saw Tonali, Bruno Joelinton. Especially if Tonali plays the deeper role instead of the Longstaff role as he has recently. A midfield of Joelinton, Bruno and Longstaff struggles just as much as if you swap in Tonali but you swap big Joe for Little Joe and put the big man in the wing instead and you get the success that we have enjoyed in recent games. Eddie knows what he's doing. He's bedding Tonali in and we are starting to see the benefits. His recent appearances have been strong and the whole team is functioning better.

How long does Schar have to avoid a booking? Can he go in a Bruno-esque run of no cards?

I think he's starting to look the player we thought we were getting. Last few appearances have been spot on. Don't think he's out the starting 11 for any fault of his, just that Howe has stumbled on the old winning formula of a Bruno, Sean and Joe and it's working well. It's tried and trusted so I don't blame Howe for favoring it. But having this guy to come on or slot in to start when needed this season will show what we missed last. Seems far more comfortable in that centre role aswell and it seems to be helping Bruno out also by hiding his mobility weaknesses and allowing him to press higher and be more involved with attacks. Positive signs. Still keen to see how a starting line up of Bruno, Tonali and Willock would perform like, and if it would be even stronger than currently but I'm sure we will see it at some stage.

He's definitely starting to hit some form now. You can see it in his actions. When he's fit and firing he just looks sharper, more involved. Hope this is the start of a sustained run of fitness and goals. Really just need Wilson to make himself available for the odd 15-20 min sub appearances to help manage Isak's workload.

I liked that moment when Isak was sprinting for the ball and then Joe came flying past and took over and then delivered a lovely cross for the Isak volley. Would have been a great counter attack goal if we finished it. Said a few weeks ago, he was coming on and making no impact because he looked scared to stretch his legs, which is the biggest part of his game. But then that moment in the Chelsea cup game where he opened up and burst forwards over a long distance, I think was a big confidence booster to him mentally and maybe helped him trust his body wasn't going to fail him again. He's looked back to his old self ever since. Great asset to the team.

Just in time to play against his favourite opponent hopefully.

Didn't realise he was possibly injured. Do we have any other players bar Kelly that can cover CB? I imagine a Burn Kelly partnership of two left footers would be awkward as fuck. Any decent youth prospects in that position? Getting to January without anymore yellows for Schar or injuries is gonna be sketchy as fuck.

Gets kicked to fuck often to be fair to him. That tackle before he went off by Cucurella was particularly savage. I think he's borderline world class. Can sometimes do wonderful things, like that first half against Liverpool couple weeks ago he looked the best player on the pitch to me. But there are other times it feels like he gets overhyped. I guess that goes for alot of players really.

Hope he comes back close to the 22/23 version we saw and not the 23/24 post injury version. Because he was a shadow of himself during that spell, so I hope he was just playing injured, although all the sound bites coming from him at the time was that he was 100% healthy and the knee wasn't effecting him. So I hope he was lying because we need the old Botman back. I think it will be next season before he's back to form from previous other player examples.

The video was good and was nice to reflect back. Although it does gloss over alot of the downfall that happened post PSG which I guess is understandable if it's meant to be a positive piece. Certainly brought back the pain of that cup final loss. So annoying that it was the one spell in that season where we struggled for form. Pope got suspended, Bruno wasn't sharp having not had a game for about 4 weeks in the build up. It was just the worst timing and I feel any other month prior or post we win it comfortably. However on the flip side, I think the loss galvanised us for the top 4 finish. I remember thinking at the time that the distractions were gone and the squad can go all out for the league finish now and thankfully they did. If we had won the cup, maybe we would have relaxed abit and not finished top 4. However given the choice I'd have taken the cup win, it felt like the perfect crowning moment for that team and they deserved it. Also I'd like to see the Steve Bruce version of this video. Wonder why the club never released one

I said "he looks a liability to me" I respect not everyone will agree but that's just my opinion. Even this season when he has played, I personally feel he looks slow and nervous to press. He also barely gets forward anymore which was the strongest part of his game. When I say he's been poor I'm speaking in relation to his previous standards he had set. The first few months of last season he was still one of, if not the best RB in the world the way he was playing. Something changed and when the injuries to the squad started mounting up and like others he was playing every few days with little rest, we started getting performances like the one away at spurs, the Everton away game, Chelsea in the cup when he came on etc. He has struggled ever since the mid way point of last year and I include his England appearances, albeit I felt he was hung out to dry being asked to play left back. Couple of steady appearances when he came back in early this season. However I feel the expectations and standards of his performances had dropped off so much by then that it was a little over hyped. I don't think anyone would say we were playing well in any early games despite winning. And yes Tino struggled in early games as many others did but he's starting to come back into form thankfully.

Don't care about what he does in his private life really but his performances for a good year or so now have been poor. He always looks a liability to me now which is so sad when he used to set the standard and barely put a foot wrong. Whether it's decline physically due to age, off field issues or a combination of both. Whatever the cause, it's resulted in a player currently not of the standard required.