alexf

I know it sounds silly but I'l think I'd genuinely be disappointed if it was us bidding £105m+ for Enzo Fernandez. Prices are just getting crazy. Even the Gordon price leaves me feeling there is better value out there for less. Perhaps it's cus I'm a frugal person generally but I just think finding players and developing them into high value assets is more enjoyable than paying ridiculous sums for players other clubs spotted first less that 12 months earlier for a fraction of their price. Enzo and Caicedo perfect examples.

On the provision we do replace before he goes. Anything that speeds up the transition of replacing the old guard who are proven not good enough for where we are going (Shelvey, Fraser, Wood, Murphy etc), with new and exciting talent, is fine by me.

Didn't he literally say something like "Southampton have more middle class kids" and "We have to put more intelligence into our players" the cheek coming from that simpleton. Those were the days eh.

Alright Pards

I wonder if he would be considered for the right side Longstaff high press role or just only as an out and out winger? I know that sounds silly, but he's raw enough for us all to be questioning the price tag and ability, so perhaps Eddie sees certain attributes that will suit the team in a position we haven't considered. Otherwise I don't see a better player than Almiron and ASM, obviously long term the potential is there but he's not at the level yet and seems strange to spend £40m+ on Murphy upgrade essentially. Time will tell.

Yeah main difference is loads of chances have fallen to Longstaff or Joelinton and they have been missing alot of simple ones lately. Whereas before Wilson was in form, Almiron was scoring everything he touched and Willock also was more useful. But yeah time for fresh faces in the attack. I feel ASM and Isak will take us to another level and we just need to adapt the rest of the tactics around it to ensure were still solid defensively. As mentioned before ASM has an up side for defense also in that he pushes fullbacks back. Same way Rashford doesn't defend much but he would ensure Trippier can't roam forward much if we play them soon etc.

They match up to us quite well as they have quite alot of pace and counter well. Rashford is just in scary form at the moment and Trippier always looks like he struggles a little against Pace, plus as poor as Antony has been, he did give Burn a hard time in the league game aswell. However on the flip side, we have alot of strengths ourselves and we will give them a hell of a game I reckon, as long as we play to our level. We wouldn't be able to push Trippier forward as much as we like, but with Isak and ASM looking like they are coming into form, we have our own weapons to hurt them. Feeling nervous already and we haven't even got to the final yet ? Not sure I'll be able to handle the final if we get there.

I agree. There's so far to go still and makes me nervous when people start throwing us in as "favourites for top 4" A slight dip in form and you could find yourself 6th or 7th very quickly. Injuries will be crucial for our thin squad.

Annoying that they can rest everyone for the return leg ? Their main threat will be Rashford. Which is frustrating as it will force Trippier to have to sit back and will negate our right side. Which is probably why it's important ASM breaks into the first team as we will need our own threat from our left side aswell.

I have convinced myself for sometime that there was some kind of stipulation to the takeover purchase or like a bit of left over free Abramovich money that needed to be spend within X amount of time and that's why they are just blowing it all now. That way all the other batshit decisions they are making, make more sense in my head

Agree. Looked destined for massive things when he ripped us apart in that first half a few years ago, but never really seemed to have done anything since when i've seen him. Perhaps injuries have nullified his threat as he had unreal acceleration back in that game against us but maybe he doesn't have much else to fall back on.

Hopefully a sign of things to come, unlucky that the goalie got a a good finger tip to it to push Isak wide. But exciting to see the vision and the movement for future games.

I knew he looked quick but didn't realise he had that level of acceleration. Perhaps maybe the defender was so slow that he appeared quicker but I think on that evidence, he's going to get alot of goals and assists for us ☺️

Could be a turning point in the second half of the season, this performance. Isak and ASM starting to put in cameos that's can't be easily ignored. Hope that we find a way to incorporate one or both in the starting line up moving forward and hopefully we're even more impressive than we were first half of season. ?

Bruno was great but thought Schar was sublime tonight and probably edged MOTM. Just mopped up everything and looked so casual doing it.

Electric

Today proved that the flip side to him being weak defensively is that he pushes back the opponent right back. They had a dominant 10 min spell with walker-peters and then nothing after because they were terrified of ASM. Start 2nd leg please. So good to see him running with the ball at speed again. Unstoppable when he's like that ?

At times Bruno has looked levels above every other player on the pitch. Same old story for us of late. Dominant but can't score. However that disallowed goal was a joke.

Would love to steal him off them if we can afford in future.

Doesn't that mean any deals they have recently done will be fine but from then on after the rule they won't be allowed? Or, that they are buggered because of the deals they have just done? Hope it's the later. Actually not that it matters, they will just find a way around that aswell with lawyers or something, like psg and man city did.

Just wondering if we could flip the line ups and play more attacking line up to start and then the usual starting line up after 60+ to see out games? Obviously this is only if the current starters are still struggling for goals of course. Tactic also only really works as long as the attacking players do the business early in the game and they give the more defensive line up something to see out. But yeah i just wonder, cus clearly our 11 we field at the moment don't give up many chances and are rock solid. But instead of bringing on ASM and Isak late in the 2nd to try and create something, perhaps starting them and going for it from the first minute and then bringing on a fresh Joelinton/Willock/Longstaff (if any of them had to drop out) would be ideal for seeing out the game with high energy pressing. Would like to see it maybe trialled in one of the legs of the cup but I trust Eddie to find the best solution ofcourse.

Yeah it's annoying. If we get there, I think this current form Man U are gonna be difficult to overcome ?

Rashford would worry me alot if we manage to get to the final and it's them we face. Also Antony ripped Burn a few times in the away game this year.

These games are gonna be harder now and provide a different challenge second half of the season. First half season teams were probably thinking "it's only Newcastle" when they came up against us. Now more and more teams are going to defend deep. Which means we will dominate more and more as we did tonight, but we are going to need to find better ways to unlock defenses.

Annoying lack of time added despite the 8 subs and numerous injury stoppages. However looked like we couldn't score if we carried on playing all day.