sixx

Koulibaly is the real fucking deal isn't he

Still makes me sick when Parker, accidentally mind, broke Jimmy Bullard's leg. I do have a lot of time for Ritchie though, even though he can go missing a lot. He still is, and probably by a mile, our best crosser of a ball and in order to get the most out of Rondon we'll need them. He's also a leader on the pitch and a strong character which is pretty valuable.

Rusty. Looked clueless when playing three at the back and was at fault for both goals definitely. Needs some game time to recover form but that was horrendous. Rafa needs to find some consistency with the back line - this rotation between personnel and the rotation of 3 and 4 and 5 at the back just seems to be causing confusion.

ffs mike dean get in the sea

Been one of our best players this season. Ah yes because of the wealth of individual performers we've seen this season. I'll retract a bit, he's useful as a backup right back in the PL but he'd barely be a starter in more than 2 PL clubs. Don't forget Benítez's ability in milking blood from a stone. Ask Djimi Traore.

Yedlin's just not good enough for PL.

Need crosses from Ritchie and Diame needs to get into the rhythm.

In the space of 10 seconds Rondon surprises me with being a superb free kick taker and having a great cross on him, literally had no idea

welp

Lascelles looks really uncomfortable in a back three.

Have to hand it to them, they've been amazing in the transfer market. Robertson for 5 million and Shaqiri for 12 is taking the piss. And when they've spent big they've spent well. Jury's still out on Fabinho but he looks good. This is actually what can happen when you provide a world class manager who has a vision with the funds and means to build a team. Not that long ago Liverpool were fielding Poulsen, Konchesky and Jovanovic under Hodgson.

Should rather be relying on him as an impact player. I do really like him and he can be very useful but we desperately need someone with more creativity and end product in his position. He should have made the definitive step-up ability wise ages ago.

This guy has been a revelation. Can't believe we all of a sudden have 5 very decent centre backs on our books. What even is this life.

Generally really hate 5 at the back but that was actually not bad. Ki in second half was immense, what an asset he is becoming. Schar and Fernandez also good. Thought Ritchie was very good in that wingback position, apart from that miss of course. I'd rather have him involved a lot like today rather than having the extremely little impact he does some games.

There's no chance Rondón speaks a word in english is it?

There for the taking obviously. With 3 CBs on we should be winning a lot more headers in and around the box. Don't really blame Dubravka for the goal, he wasn't positionally off IMO, it was the only scenario in which he could have been beaten - just a super header. Need to get more out of Rondon and especially his hold up play. We can sail this home.

I think it just comes down to Zidane being a bigger character and a leader. I love Iniesta but if I'd have to pick either for my team I'd choose Zidane on that basis alone. Also the fact that he consistently delivered the goods for Bordeaux, Juve, Real and France (in two different eras) while Iniesta of course only played for Barca and Spain and enjoyed huge amounts of success with a similar core of players around him with both.

Of the 40 Golden Boy nominees by Tuttosport only three (!) were developed in England from what I can gather. Don't really understand why this isn't discussed more in the media and such... English clubs apparently have a serious problem with developing talent and there is not a single English manager out there who can be considered even remotely world class either.

West Ham basically did everything last summer we were supposed to do and now they're reaping the rewards. Who would have thought. Btw do Man Utd ever line up in the same formation? They got nothing even resembling a team or a spine and they're still giving starts to the like of Young and Fellaini even after spending all this money. At least Pep had a bit of a vision with all the spending at City.

Said it before but at the end of the season he's going to have scored more than all of our strikers combined. I'm almost a 100% positive that the gripe Rafa has with him is on a personal/mental note, not ability-wise or whether he fits into a certain style of play or not. It happens.

Good team. Pretty much full strength. If we can't compete with that line up against Palace, we're royally fucked.

Please god let Lascelles, Shelvey and Rondon be fit for this.

Well

Their striker doesn't seem to be a huge fan of it which makes it a bit difficult.

I for one would say he's the most exciting young prospect England has at the moment, barring maybe Rashford. Most of my friends are Liverpool fans and therefore I see a lot more of them than I actually care for haha. I'd just say he's a very modern right back - quick, adept defensively and can deliver the goods going forward, very good right foot.