Stottie

Deeney grew on me as a player last year. He's far more skilful than he initially appeared when he was second fiddle to the lad that went to China for $$$$. He's also a leader and as a young team we need them. He also fits what I think the bill might be in that the fee might not be massive but he's on big wages. So its PCP who'll have to keep reaching into their pockets after the takeover, not Ashley into his before it. In our transfer dealings so far, wages may have been a bigger stumbling block than fees. So all PCP may have to do is loosen the wage budget, not provide such a big sum up front for fees. Deeney's under contract till 2021, when he's pushing 33. Teams that chop and change manager like Watford should not be handing out long tasty contracts to players above 27. It's a recipe for an unsellable player sitting on the bench for 5 million a year.

I looked it up just before the Brighton game but with him in the team, today's result included P17 W6 D3 L8 21 points 16 conceded Without him P5 W0 D1 L4 1 point 14 conceded He's clearly our most important player. fwiw, both Man City and Liverpool got into the CL last season while averaging more than one goal a game conceded.

Haha, get in! We had more quality than them, despite them resting their loads of players in readiness for this. Ref was a berk too, but we overcame it. Onwards and upwards.

Pretty good. Keep at it and a goal will come.

FYP Brilliant. More entertaining than the match was.

Hard to bear on anyone who went out and paid to watch that shower of shite. It was utter garbage. We have big problems. I know the lads are lacking confidence, but there was a lack of even the basics there. Shola would walk into that team.

Hopeless United vs. Hapless and Helpless Albion

Our red card drought would've ended against them, but it was awarded after the game.

This is like being back in the Championship, though possibly worse.

Joselu laying it off to the hoardings

Yes, very scrappy and it plays into their hands. We need to hold onto the ball better.

This is obvious, no? He's our best defender and a real leader and organiser. I've not looked it up for any other player, so I did have an idea. I must say though that nearly half our goals conceded in the five (five!) matches he missed exceeded my expectations.

Just saying because I just looked it up, but our record with Lascelles P15 W5 D2 L8 17points 16 conceded Without him P5 W0 D1 L4 1 point 14 conceded re: the goals conceded, he played against Man City, Liverpool, and Spurs, arguably the best three attacks in the league.

Atsu's up against Bruno who is 37. He had a great game against Zabaleta so I hope he can keep it up.

Yeah, looks fine. Brighton have only scored once in the first half hour of a game. Their record is 1 for, 6 against. Ours is 6 for, 7 against. So, another reason to go at this positively from the start.

No Eliot is a big setback, but we are just going to have to manage. Even if he's not ready for today, Woodman has to play in the Cup game, that is for certain. Brighton are second lowest in shots per game, five worst in shots allowed. Fewest goals scored from set pieces. So nothing to be afraid of.

We need the takeover to go through before we can welcome bids on players getting significant game time.

I find it hard to believe that anyone who saw all our misplaced passes in the first half could think we should have had fewer players behind the ball. It's suicidal to "have a go" if you are committing (being pressed into) basic errors. fwiw, it was game over at Man U when Gayle had a pass intercepted at 2-1 early in the second half. It was on the edge of their box. Against Man City we were losing the ball 30-40 yards from our own goal.

An ultimately frustrating player, whose underlying ability was not enough to justify his transgressions. A good shout as the worst exponent of the "dark arts" in the game. You are supposed to get away with winding the other team up, and use the resulting marginal gain to help you win games. With Mitro, it was a case of keep doing it till you get in trouble. His ban this season came from his cards being marked as much as from the actual incident, but regardless of the "why", its the team as a whole who suffers.

Attempting to draw a foul is not a dive and not against the laws of the game. If every player were booked for deliberately drawing a foul no defender would see out 90 minutes. Do defenders draw fouls? It's forwards surely. And I'm not saying drawing a foul deserves a booking. Arguably Gayle should not have been booked because there was contact. Not giving him the penalty he sacrificed a shooting opportunity for may have been punishment enough. Anyway, all everybody wants is consistency. Not the "Harry Kane is not that kind of player" bollocks we get now. Had Gayle got a penalty, it would actually have evened out the Tiote (RIP) non goal against City. After that went in, at least two City players who had their backs to the incident got in the ref's face arguing the decision. They are hardly a paragon of fair play.

A meh performance for me. He should be doing better from dead balls at least.

Shame about Tosun too. The takeover cant happen quick enough.

Just saying but Stones and then this make Lascelles worth at least 30 million. See that CH Everton bought too.

The ref got the decision right, but it is undeniable that you've seen them given. I hope other refs can make the same decision when other strikers move in a way that is more intended to produce contact than score a goal.

I proper love the way Rafa gets wound up every time we concede a goal. As if it is a personal affront. Contrast it with the blank looks and wry smiles we've had off other cretins in our recent history.