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Only solace with this fixture, is that I now know that when we inevitably get beat it'll further put the shits up Arsenal

Was just going to put something similar, people really like shitting on this lad huh? He's been playing well so far this year, and looking way more assured with himself and the team in general. He has a mediocre game, not poor, just a bit ineffective and "meh", and people can't wait to come in and have a go. Its odd, especially given it happened in a game we won 6-1

Pretty decent 90 minutes that, feels like a carbon copy of the Spurs 6-1

Absolutely bonkers half that, they are so so bad. It's kind of tainting what is an outrageous bit of history for us

Full draw: Fulham v Southampton Port Vale or Bristol City v Sunderland Newcastle v Manchester City Leeds United v Norwich City Mansfield Town v Arsenal Wolves v Liverpool Wrexham v Chelsea West Ham v Macclesfield or Brentford

Remember, you can never have too much Man City, if we get to the semi-finals of the Champions League (This is very unlikely), we'll probably be playing a two legged tie against them too. And that way, they can knock us out of every cup competition we play in this season, that'll be fun for them.

So our domestic cup draws under Howe: 33 Matches, 24 games against Premier League opposition

If we where to get Chelsea in the FA cup on top of the 50/50 chance we get them in the Champions League too (Should we beat Qarabag), our fixture list at the start of March could be: 07/03/26 - Chelsea (H/A) - FA Cup 11/03/26 - Chelsea (H) - Champions League 14/03/26 - Chelsea (A) - Premier League 18/03/26 - Chelsea (A) - Champions League

Would be perfect if we could get a 2/3 goal lead here. Feel like its going to be a tougher game than we expect though.

The Emirates FA Cup fifth round draw will be made on Monday 16 February, live on TNT Sports. The draw will be held live from Macclesfield ahead of their fourth round match against Brentford. The draw will be available for fans to watch on TNT Sports 1, discovery+ and on the TNT Sports YouTube channel during the tie’s pre-match coverage from approximately 6.35pm GMT. Presented by Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist, the draw will be made by Joe Cole and Karen Carney. The ball numbers for the fifth round draw are listed below: 1. Liverpool 2. Fulham 3. Sunderland 4. Southampton 5. Wrexham 6. Arsenal 7. Chelsea 8. West Ham United 9. Mansfield Town 10. Norwich City 11. Port Vale or Bristol City 12. Wolverhampton Wanderers 13. Newcastle United 14. Manchester City 15. Macclesfield or Brentford 16. Leeds United

BBC reporting that Spurs are looking at Edin Terzic or Marco Rose as interim until the end of the season.

Howe just said in his presser that he's back on the grass and running, and is on course for the early March return date.

I can't explain it, as they both have similar models of club ownership, but Brentford are infinitely more likable than Brighton. I guess its because Brighton seem like the actively want to rim the "big 6" continually. I'm really glad their whole project seems to have stalled.

Tell you what, I know Sunderland are doing well but i'm so glad the Promoted sides are doing well this season, its been so boring these last few years where Premier League ever presents have just coasted to the gravy train. If any of the sides below (Bar Leeds) go down, it'll be great for different reasons.

For those that care, the Nations League Draw:

From what i've seen of Flav, which is mainly through JLA, he doesn't deserve to be in the same click bait nonsense that Goldbridge and Rory Jennings are a part of

Its going to be Vitor Pereira by the looks of it.

Looks like Tuchel is set to sign a contract extension until after the 2028 Euros.

So, using this list: Iraola - The point of firing Howe would be to "take us to the next level", with this we'll be basically making the same appointment as we did when Howe came in 4 years ago it at best a sideways step, this'll be like Tottenham hiring Frank. Glasner - Same as Iraola Carrick - His one full time job was in the Championship, why is he on this list? Nuno - He's very good at keeping a team in a league, its been proven he's not good at a team wanting to compete at a higher level, and plays football that will get old very fast. Mourinho - Just no. Southgate - Just no. Alonso - Would be the only one on this list that I would contemplate if Howe where to ever leave. So a way to look at it is, if looking objectively, as a neutral, if a club where looking to appoint a manager, and Howe was on a short list with the above names, he would be number 1, and the clear number 1 choice for a Premier League side, so why would we as a club, who have Howe, and who has done an exceptional job to date at our club, ever replace him with any of the names above. I go back to the old statement, if someone was the right man for the job 4 months ago, they're the right man for the job now, especially if they have a body of work to back it up, which Howe does.

Spurs play again in 11 days, we have 3 games in that time

That was a really good performance, and a much needed result. Thought we player really well in the main, even if the end finish was still a bit lacking, the second half we where a bit more sloppy in possession compared to the first, but for the most part Pope didn't have a save to make and we just kept them at arms length. Elanga looks like he's starting to turn into the player we thought we where signing, there has been a noticeable improvement since he came back from his injury, I wonder if the time to sit and watch watch what Howe wants has allowed him to come back more assured and comfortable in what is needed and how to implement it. Ramsey was man of the match though, so comfortable in possession and you could see how much the goal meant to him, it felt like you could visibly see the stress fall off his shoulders. How the fuck we are only 3 points off 6th is beyond me, but this season isn't a write off yet, and for any discussion that the players are playing for Howe where utterly quashed, they ran their bollocks off today, and everyone put in everything they had. The scenes at the end where utter quality, hopefully Howe feels the love and can relax a bit more. Spurs though, woof, they where dreadful, they reminded me of us under Bruce, just devoid of anything, really static and unmotivated, and doing the bare minimum, no pressing no nothing, with the form of West Ham, they could be genuinely go down.

We've played really well, and are more then deservedly in the lead, however is Steve Bruce cosplaying as Thomas Frank? They are utterly appalling (They'll probably come back after this comment).

Match Thread.

Howe was asked if there was any doubt in his mind that he was the right man to take the club forward: "No, there’s no doubt in my mind and that's why I’m sitting here. If there was then I wouldn’t be because the club is the most important thing. I'd never put myself before the club. "If I didn't think I was the correct man to take the team forward and I could give the players what they need, then I would step aside and let someone else do it."

No offence, but I utterly detest this "he used to be an under 23's coach, so he can't be elite". A lot of people start their careers at an entry level job and work up, it literally means fucking nothing to his current job role. I fail to see what impact what someones job was a decade ago has to his ability to do it now. People grow and change, learn new skills, and adapt to the environments they are in, digging someone's careers up to have a pop and the current setup is frankly ridiculous. Besides that same Simon Weatherstone has been here for the last 4 years, and been part of the same coaching staff that saved us from certain relegation, got 2 Champions League campaigns, a cup win, and has been working with a group of internationals that whole time. And what evidence is there that they are yes men exactly?