alexf

Full backs are hurting us at the moment, especially Burn. He should be viewed like Botman as a CB only and if we don't have a left back then we need to change formation or play a youngster there like other teams would. But the flat midfield three standing ahead of their midfielders time after time away from home just seemed unnecessarily risky. They played through us so easily again and again and then our slow back line is exposed. Also attacking wise we look alright to a point but then in the final third it seems to fall down. Took an impressive improvised finish to get us anything.

So fucking sick of Brighton. Didn't even celebrate our goal as I knew there was still time for them to do their usual. Defending for both goals was poor. Welbeck seems to score against us every fucking time. Ugh.

Agreed. Surprised Coogan signed on to that.

Sounded like Eddie was laying the hints that Joelinton will be rested for this game. With the slight groin issue and long travel. But his form has been ropey at best the last few games anyways and with Ramsey returning to fitness, wouldn't be shocked to see him start here.

No one can convince me Lewis-Skelly is a bigger talent than Lewis Hall. Yes he's younger but on the evidence of last season, Hall should be going to the world cup if he can get and stay fit.

Hoping he can start ahead of Joelinton in certain games moving forward. Big Joe has been getting a little found out in recent games where his limited technical ability has hindered us. Don't get me wrong he's proven and has his strengths and I'm sure will still have good games in the future but for certain matches, especially the champions league games we need abit more in that position.

This is a real kicker. I know it was only Bradford but he showed signs of what we have been missing while he's been out the team and looked close to full strength and now his buggered again but to add insult to injury it will mean a sustained run of Burn as LB while Tino is out. The knock on effect aswell means no rest for the likes of Trippier and Burn. I really don't think they should be playing 3 games a week either. Plus England games for Burn. By association Botman will need to play every game now aswell as now can't rotate with Burn.

I don't like Gordon's method. It feels like 50-50 if he's gonna score because he doesn't look at the keeper or ever change his mind. So if the keeper guesses right, like Pickford did last year then there is a good chance they save it.

One of those games where if you see the highlights and missed chances it looks like we battered them. But I'd say in real time it was abit of a stale/flat game and took us a long time to get going. Defo games like this we lack a more creative option instead of Joelinton. Hopefully Ramsey can be that when he's back. Also showed the concerns of having Burn LB again. First half they were targeting that channel and getting quite a bit of joy and that was without having an out and out winger down that side. Probably would have been a useful game to have Wissa as an option to come on or start with Woltemade also. Hindsight if he's fit then I think the game would have suited Murphy more than Elanga also. But credit where it's due it's another clean sheet and we got the result we desperately needed and should have scored more in the end. Big Nick could have had a hat trick and his pen was outstanding. Gordon had sharp moments and we could have taken better advantage of his left footed crosses.

Salah dropped off a cliff since the contract. Still convinced he was on performance enhancing drugs last year. Wirtz contributing fuck all again apart from that first touch. Looks scared. Isak gets an assist but still underwhelming for such an expensive player. You love to see it. Hate Chelsea too but I'll allow them this one.

We really do need a win tomorrow looking at the table. Spurs and Bournemouth currently 8 points clear of us.

So N'doye is another one of those players where the commentator has to say their first name every single time apparently.

He's needed that goal all season to get him going. Will probably bang in a bunch now in his next few games. Game looked tailor made for him, called him scoring if he came on in the first half. Loads of space in behind for a player like him.

Did anyone else see that dribble from Yamal in the first few mins of the PSG game? Kept the ball for ages then just went past the likes of Nuno Mendes at will. Such a fun player to watch.

Best performance so far. Seems the team are starting to learn how to use him more and his link up really opens up space for others. Close control is excellent. All the things we hoped but he's actually delivering and in top of that has scored two good headers despite it apparently being his weakness. So fuck you Bayern and your sour grapes.

Just looks like he belongs in European football. The engine on him is incredible. He's making Bruno and Joelinton appear more average than they are, because he's just everywhere. Some lovely link ups with Barnes towards the end aswell. Deserved a goal.

Probably our best half away from home for awhile. Look sharp and up for it. Hopefully can keep it up in the 2nd. Joelinton looks a few yards off it and Burn is giving us very little down the left compared to the Trippier/Elanga down the right. Surprised Hall is getting over looked again like when he first joined but can't complain with the overall performance and scoreline so far. Tonali looks top as usual.

Only way he "fails" there is if his body lets him down and he struggles with injuries etc, which is entirely possible if we reflect on his time with us. But if he gets up to speed then he should score goals regularly for them. However if they don't win the league again or a champions league with the investment they made in the summer then there will be a lot of people critical of him and others. Rightly so as it would mean they have gone backwards.

I've done the medial ligament when I was younger too. Remember it feeling really bad in the moment and they put me on crutches for a couple of weeks but wasn't that long till I was back playing again.

Also can't give up 12 corners to a team like Arsenal and not expect to concede. I know we defend them better than most teams but law of averages suggests they will score from one eventually. They scored both their goals essentially from corners as the first one was just a short corner to change the angle.

Don't mind playing like that if we grind out the 1:0. But to lose it like that is just sickening. Think I'd rather have had more of a go and took a chance of conceding more but also the possibility of scoring more. Basically sat in from the first minute really. Can't fault most of the players effort however. Pope was good in the main but came for a ball he was never getting and would have been better staying home. Botman and Thiaw look a good partnership moving forward is the main positive to take away. The injury to Tino is the biggest downer though. Fearing the worst on that one. He is so important to us.

I agree to an extent in regards Saka. But given all the other positives of having Burn there for ours and their set pieces, cannot see Howe taking him out. However long term I hope this isn't the answer to his tough selection headache of Burn or Botman because Burn isn't a left back anymore and even said himself that he's put on more weight etc to play CB now.

Rode our luck. Despite scoring I would like us to have a little more attacking output. Just don't think he'll want to risk changing anything but if we wait it could be too late. Elanga is probably the best bet for his counter attacking pace.

Shame to see Hall not in squad. Looked good Wednesday. Hope it's not a long term issue.