leffe186

Yeah, we talk about it in general terms but I wanted to look at it in more detail. Like, Vicario will probably start at least 50 games this season but I don’t think more than one other player will even manage to get on the pitch for 40.

Couldn’t give a shit. I’m in. Might be able to afford a Championship season ticket and all our players will have the summer off because they’ll be injured.

But as you say, they are worse. We’ve consistently had 10+ out and yes, it has been 13 at at least one point. And this is the third consecutive year of this shit, which is completely demoralising. You had a ton of injuries that year and it was a fantastic achievement, but it helped that manager, tactics and (largely) squad were established. Key players like Bruno, Gordon, Burn, Trippier, Isak and Schär played in most games and Longstaff and Almiron played in well over 40. Pope missed more than half the season and Dubravka isn’t an amazing deputy but he’s adequate. I know Botman only played 22 games - who were the other key players missing? Did anyone miss the whole season? Genuine question. I’ve said before that it’s such a big issue for us this year because Frank is new and he has to implement a new system with a lot of new players. Our best first XI is arguably something like Vicario Porro Romero VDV Udogie Bentancur Gallagher Madders Kulu Kudus Solanke. Key Defensive subs Spence and Danso, Midfield subs Palhinha and Bergvall/Simons, Attacking subs Richarlison and Odobert. 17 outfield players. Right now 10 of those players are injured and one is suspended - only three of the starting 10 are available. After 26 games, only one of those 17 has started more than 20. And only five have even got on the pitch for more than 20 (e.g. Odobert 10 starts, 14 sub appearances - now probably out for the season of course). What was your best team that year? I’d guess Pope Trippier Botman Schär/Burn Livramento Joelinton Tonali Bruno Gordon Almiron Isak? Key Defensive subs Hall and Krafth/Burn? Midfield Murphy and Longstaff? Attacking Barnes and Wilson? 17 outfield players. Seven of the starting ten played in most games and Tonali obviously missed most of the season for other reasons. I really don’t think people have grasped how extraordinary our injuries are this year. I’m well aware of what an incredible achievement your 2023-24 season was in the circumstances and as always not enough is made of it by the usual suspects in the media, but I’ve had three years of this nonsense now and I’m sick of it.

This is going to be really fucking long. A ton of stuff to respond to. It’s a bit of a perfect storm - as you guys well know it needs to be for one of the big clubs to struggle. My bullet points: 1. Injuries. 2. Squad. 3. Captain. 4. Manager. 5. The fans. 6. Higher Management Structure. We were clearly hoping to get through to the Summer and take stock, but that became impossible. Right now we need to get in a coach who can pull what’s left of the squad together enough to win two or three games. With Frank gone I think the fans will respond, and depending upon who comes in hopefully the players will too. We also need to try to get as many players fit as possible - obviously. I think we’re going to make a massive effort to get Poch in the Summer. I even think there’s a chance that he comes if we’re relegated. Will it work? Dunno. It will galvanize the fans. We need a huge effort to sort out pricing with a genuine partnership between fans and the Club. We really, really need a Director of Football with a vision that at least approximates ours of a clubs that plays stylish, attacking football and develops a significant amount of our own players. I think that’s doable in both the Premier League and the Championship. Above all else, if we do get relegated t will be fascinating to see how a team copes with 13 players, 46 league games and a Champions League campaign.

Oh I completely forgot Bissouma existed, although I’m not sure that helps all that much.

I can imagine a timeline where he doesn’t but at best Dr Strange is holding up three fingers.

The obvious difference is that last year there were three very clear relegation teams. Man U spent a shit-ton of money and don’t have Europe, which has helped massively. They have a grand total of three injuries, two of who are expected back in a couple of weeks. We’ll see. I’ll be fairly happy with anything at all from these next two games and more importantly no more injuries.

Yeah it’s possible. Team might be: Vicario Palhinha-Dragusin-Van de Ven Gray-Gallagher-Sarr-Souza Odobert-Solanke-Simons On paper it’s pretty good but then you look at the details. Palhinha out of position, Dragusin just back after a year out, Van de Ven recovering from an injury. Gray out of position, Gallagher new, Sarr was ill and barely played in AFCON, Souza completely new. Solanke just back after months out. The subs? No defenders available - they’re all injured or Romero. No midfielders available - they’re all injured. Kolo Muani on loan and disinterested. I like Tel but he’s learning the ropes. That’s it. We’ve been bringing Byfield on (17yo) because there’s nobody else, the rest will be kids. Rinse and repeat. You want to ease Solanke, Dragusin, Sarr and Van de Ven back in but they have to play every game because they’re all that’s left. You want to introduce Souza gradually but he’ll have to play every game because he’s all that’s left. We have three fit defenders and four fit midfielders…so that’s the team. Until one of them gets - inevitably - injured. I fear that I am seeing it clearly because it’s every week at this point. We’re capable of being good and have been in patches but you don’t even need a red card or letting in a goal for things to crumble. One more player gets injured and we’re giving another teenager a debut…in this situation. That’s a problem.

It just has a lot of the hallmarks of a big team going down. The injuries are genuinely insane. Kulu and Maddison may miss the entire season and Bentancur and Davies almost certainly won’t be back. Danso did an injury I’ve never even heard of before in an innocuous way against Frankfurt, and apparently may not play again this season. Bergvall is out until April at least, as is Kudus. I looked at the injury table and we have at least twice the amount of injuries as every single team except Chelsea and Man City (and nearly twice as many as them anyway). Then you zoom in and their return dates are mainly 8-13th Feb I.e. this week. We’ve got several key players missing for months at a time. It’s just not sustainable.

No I don’t think so. It’s obviously the bottom two plus one. West Ham are on a bit of a roll but have some tougher games coming up, Leeds are starting to put things together, but both they and West Ham (and Forest) have terrible GD. Palace might get sucked in too. I think it’s one of them plus us. Our biggest problem is obviously not knowing who’s going to be available for any games d/t injury and the extra pressure being put on the remaining fit players because of that and the CL. You’ve been through this before - at this point all you need is a couple of things to go against you in a couple of games and you can be right in it - but with the injuries we’re already there. Then youu add in those little things. It was a pretty even game at Old Trafford until the red but then suddenly that game’s gone and now Romero - our club captain - is out for four games. I think we’re going down, but one win could turn it around.

You think we do? Just responding to the post. Was…quite a statement . I won’t flat out criticise a fan of Newcastle because they’re owned by the Saudis because as you say - you don’t have much say in the matter. Just, maybe you have to be a bit more circumspect with criticism now . Not you, obviously. We’re still in our spiritual home though I would argue. Ironically Arsenal are not, but that’s another story,

Yeah, be careful not to sell your soul to the money gods of football.

Liverpool St is on the Central Line. That said, Victoria from Seven Sisters then change at Oxford Circus would normally be quicker, but on matchday maybe not.

That’s a key reason. They’re all out for weeks or months too. I do feel for Frank, the injuries have been a joke for months - years, really. You end up with players struggling to build partnerships and patterns, it’s hsrd to implement new tactics and the fit players just get worn down. It’s a spiral that you have to break out of somehow but I don’t have a lot of faith in Frank to manage it.

Northumberland Park station is also a good option usually - takes you into Liverpool St. Have you got the Citymapper app? Worth getting for London. Only thing I don’t know is what they do now with away fans after the game. Northumberland Park is an easy walk from your section, but I don’t know if you get escorted out or which bits are cordoned off. If I were you I’d go there though. Where in Zone 1 do you need to get to?

From BBC Text: Not the infinite money then?

I do wish people would stop going on about this. We all know. And there are actually some mitigating circumstances: 1. Decent-sized club but mediocre at best that wins the lottery and spends infinite money 2. Get given a stadium. 3. Win everything. 4. Millions of games a season 5. Least interesting cup. 6. Already winning from the first leg. 7. Pissing it.

I thought you guys were down on Pope? Has Ramsdale been ropey?

Just a feeling. It seems like teams have been keeping their powder dry a bit and the World Cup tends to put a lot of names in the transfer spotlight. Basically the entire world is playing in it this year. There are a handful of managers who we expect to move in the Summer too, which you would expect to stimulate more action. Then you look at this season’s Premier League which hasn’t been particularly good: I suspect a lot of teams are looking at a rebuild or significant strengthening. Finally, you have six teams with significant CL money and three others who you’d expect to go far in the other competitions.

Summer transfer window is going to be an absolute bloodbath.

Burn it all down.

I mean, I’m about three injuries away from a spot on the bench.

Yorkie man, you do know better than that. They’re not deliberately paying more to raise the baseline prices . Seems a lot of money but presumably they’re fighting off interest from every big club in Europe. They obviously need a CB to replace VVD and build the defence around and I guess they figure he’s a sure thing.

Watching the Championship highlights and fuck me, this Doncaster Robers kit is an eyesore. Blackpool away kit too. Colours I have never seen on a kit before