alexf

Saka didn't play in the last two against us. He's a big difference maker and someone we need to try and protect against. If Martinelli plays through the middle then just need to be cautious of leaving him isolated against our slow cb's. Would love it to be true but we rarely get that much luck so you know Rice and others will probably make a miraculous recovery just in time to play. Hope we are switched on and aren't carrying too many passengers. Was very strange performance that 2nd half to Chelsea, hopefully it was a mentality thing.

There are still too many variables for me. Yes in theory and based on form this season we should get 3 points from Everton or maybe even possibly Arsenal. But it's the end of the season, most players look like they are running on empty, we have more injuries hitting, and going into one last game needing to win does create a different mentality for the players and crowd. We could go for it against Arsenal and come up short but what if we picked up a few more injuries to key players or a suspension etc. Still just too much up in the air for me to say with any confidence we are definitely there. Really hope we turn up at Arsenal and get it done there. The idea of a nervy 0-0 with Everton trying to break them down going into the last few minutes would be horrific.

Has definitely not been right ever since missing that Liverpool game in the league. I know it's easy to make excuses but you can tell he isn't right. Probably the same nagging groin issue he had last year. Been snatching at chances, not able to sprint at full speed and generally just lacking shaprness. But as others have said, it's still more worthwhile having him in the team than the current version of Wilson and Eddie still doesn't trust Osula. Really do think Osula coming on for him in a few games would have helped the team however. Fingers crossed he can keep going two more games and hopefully get a couple of tap ins.

i hope we go for the win, but it's also important we don't lose anymore important players in case we need them for Everton.

speaking of which, is there a method for getting the noon patch off a shirt? Brought the away recently and the noon yellow ruins it for me so wondered if I could get it off somehow?

If no one returns from injury then we might not have much choice. The balance looked great first half against Chelsea. But against Arsenal's midfield 3, Tonali and Bruno might get overrun.

This is quite interesting to look at. So of the 4 home games we lost, I'd say 3 of those we should have won. Only Bournemouth came and fully outplayed us and deserved the points. The two draws against City and Liverpool against could have easily been wins with abit more luck. To only win once away against the current top 13 is abit concerning. If it wasn't for the cup game against them then Arsenal next week looks like a guaranteed loss going by this record. However it should mean we hopefully do the business against Everton. If we do, then bar the West Ham anomaly, we have beaten all of the rest of the bottom 9 and most of them we did the double aswell. Come on boys, one more win 🙏.

I'd love to believe we can go away to Arsenal and win next week. But with the energy levels showcased 2nd half today against 10 men and with the players we have missing and Isak clearly still carrying something, I think it would be extremely optimistic.

Straight red

Balance of the team looked great even before their red. Really good numbers in defense and fluid in attack. Wonder if we dropped off due to the heat or were saving something in the tank for later in the game? Need that 2nd to relax.

I really hope it isn't Burn at LB, would get torn apart by the pace of Madueke or Neto. Even if back 3, need to lot let any of them get isolated 1v1. Zero pace in the back line.

This game has turned to a complete unknown now. I was confident when I thought Joelinton might be back but even without just him I thought we'd be alright. Now it's a completely new lineup with players playing in a different role or position they have been recently and next to players they might not be familiar with. I'm assuming Murphy and Tino as wingbacks? Hoping it pays off but not much off the bench available to change if it's not working.

That was fucking atrocious by Bournemouth.

Bournemouth been zero threat going forward. Annoying that Ramsey did more intent than Schar but because the guy didn't play act and go down he gets away with it. Will never not annoy me that red card that Schar got, was absolutely scandalous.

I think the footage from the training ground is pre cup final no? Sandro is wrapped up in a snood etc so presumably it was sometime in winter.

Yeah people have played up the dirty elbows and shoulder barges etc recently, but can't let that mean he's still not one of the very best. Reads the game better than most, always in the right place, strong in the air, has the pace to defend pretty much anyone 1v1. I do find his mannerisms really annoying though, comes across arrogant as fuck. But he's just as important to Liverpool as Salah really. Still, Isak has got the better of him pretty much everytime he's played him, so that's nice.

Joelinton injected like Bane and will walk out with those ultra tight shorts and smash into someone within seconds. Even if he doesn't play, I've changed my mind now and think our big players are going to show up and smash it Sunday.

Only silver lining is that one of these teams will lose and therefore have had a rotten season. I think Man U win. They have Amad back now who is always a threat, whereas Spurs have picked up a few more injuries. There is also the mental aspect, Man U just expect to win finals and will rise to the occasion, Spurs are like us pre-eddie and they are more likely to wilt under the light. Man U commercially are a monster as well so were less likely to be hurt financially by missing out on CL, their project with Amorim is going to take while and may still run into issues next year, even with a CL cash boost. Spurs on the other hand, with a boost of CL money and if they changed manager and had bit of luck with some better signings are not a million miles of being decent again, a lot of young potential in their squad. So I fear they would be a more likely contender to overtake us next season than Man U if they got CL.

if Joe was already managing this knee problem already and it hadn't been stopping him playing, then I can completely see him wanting to play through some discomfort again just to help see us over the line. If he got a serious injury because of it then obviously that would in hindsight be bad, but if he's been playing with this for awhile anyway then hopefully one more game wouldn't be the end of the world.

Think Arsenal win with no Dembele and Partey back for them.

I have read alot of strange things on here over the years, but this is right up there.

Win or bust for me regarding finishing top 5. Really hope we have a big performance left in us.

I think that's diminishing why these players are so good. They find the space. You don't think 100's of managers probably put someone on Messi and said man mark him, only for him to inevitably find space and score again and again?

This is going to be a much harder game than I think most anticipated awhile ago. Chelsea even when playing poorly kept getting results and they seem to be coming into some form at the perfect time. They also have fast athletic players that can cause us problems. We need one of those top Howe era games where everyone is firing to get over the line here. Unfortunately however we seems to be running out of steam slightly and Joelinton will be a big miss for this, not just his physicality but his mentality. Really hope the lads have one more huge performance in them. Wish it was a night game, could do with a hostile environment for Chelsea players.

It's being played like and end of season nothing to play for...except we have everything to play for. Very odd. Needs to be a massive change 2nd half to have any chance of turning this round. Gordon needs to come on, just not sure who for.