Stottie

For context, Luke Shaw is on about the same at the club currently in seventh position. Digne is supposedly on 120k a week at the club in fifteenth.

Just a theory, but in the time since Rafa was with us, perhaps teams have come up with better tactics to counter the "keep it tight for 70 minutes" low-possession approach. Wildly unbalanced possession stats have become increasingly common, we continued to do it under Bruce, and the more it happens, the more clubs are going to work on ways of creating openings. Everton are averaging under 40% possession so far this season. I wonder if Rafa rates Pickford. I think he's a dodgy and not good enough for a top 10 team.

PEA has been averaging 2.5 shots a game and has 7 xG on the season. He put himself in pole position to score against us but didn't quite react fast enough. He may have only scored four but the numbers suggest he's trying harder than that. I don't know how hard we should push to sign him but I wouldn't write him off as a top player just yet

After 18+ months of Covid, you'd expect more clubs to be sellers than big buyers. This will be especially strong in leagues where the TV money is not divvied up as fairly as the Premier League.

How far is Lingard off an England place? A January move seems like his only hope of getting on the plane to the world cup. As things stand, you'd have to think Sancho's place is up for grabs.

Making it up as they go along. Maddison was the same. There is also no way play continues when a Liverpool defender goes down with what looks like a head injury.

Tis the season of giving!

I bet our CHs will look better if/when we get a Trippier level player in to solve the problem at right back. Good players make those around them look better, and vice versa.

Trippier would be a great signing. fwiw, the wonder freekick in the semi against Croatia is the only time he's scored for England. Yes, there are lots of star young full backs now, TAA, Reece James etc. but Azpilicueta, Marcus Alonso, Kyle Walker are still doing it at top level at 31/32.

Not a rumour, but the four I'd like Lingard, Ayoze type productive AM/second striker. Must be capable of playing false nine Solid DM RB Backup keeper If we can have another, established CB who Howe thinks is captain material. Dependability over ball skills. ............................Dubs/backup RB...........any.........newcaptain.............Lewis ...................Solid DM..........any........................... ASM.................Lingard type..................Beg Jow .......................Wilson.............................

The score flatters them, four goals off five? shots on target including a non-penalty, but we've been very poor and have players who clearly aren't good enough.

Big wake-up call this. The first was unjust, but the following goals have been far far too easy.

Poor goal to concede and our fault, not the ref's. Willock should work the keeper there.

Aye, and it's a thick English blerk who gets to watch it in slow motion and still say its a penalty.

I actually agreed with the analysis there. Lascelles is at fault, but for the first pass, not for the non-foul. As Pardew said, Thielmans completely stops as an act to get the decision.

Clear dive all day long. Far worse than anything Wilson's ever done. Ah well, howay the lads!

That's an attacking lineup for an away game against higher opposition.

Really looking forward to this and quite optimistic. I don't know what's happening with them and that outbreak, but if they're struggling defensively, one way to shore it up would be to start defending from the front with Ayoze. He topped the defensive stats for strikers - tackles, interceptions, pressures etc. - by miles under Rafa, while still knocking in 23 in 65 games' worth of PL minutes during Rafa's time. It seems like he's out of favour there, something about a players' party during lockdown, and I'd be well up us resigning him, even though that's a bit unfair on Joelinton who's now free of the Cabbage and growing into a similar role.

Gini on loan would be amazing. The focus has to be on survival, and developing a playing style dependent on someone else's players, necessitating a start from near zero next summer, is a perfectly acceptable price to pay for staying up. Like the SD signs in the stadium, there is plenty to undo before we can start actively working toward the future. I'd like to point out that Eddie Howe transfer "failure" Dominic Solanke currently has 16 goals. Its a higher % of Bournemouth's total than Mitro's 21 are of Fulham's. With the FCB out of the way, I expect us to sign players very high up the manager's wants list. Since the manager is Eddie Howe, I expect those to be players who'll improve us.

On the subject of expected goals stat, it does not account for good strikers and keepers who consistently overperform the stat. So even in expected goals. i.e., chances allowed, is the same, we will concede fewer with Dubs than Darlow. Every time a proactive keeper claims or punches a cross, that will also reduce expected goals against if it denies an opponent an attempt.

I stayed on six after Norwich and will stay on six now. My biggest issue isn't X points off whatever fixture so far. It is whether Wilson, ASM, and Dubs stay fit. They've all had injury problems before, but are better than pretty much everyone in the bottom half. If they stay fit, we won't be relegated. Not with Eddie Howe ensuring a good level of professionalism across the club. I expect us to strengthen in January, and hope we get a backup striker and keeper as priorities. A shiny new right back isn't going to help as much as losing Wilson for the season would cost us.

Super nervy last 10 against turbo Orcball, but before that, quite a good second half that nearly got a second goal. The only scary movement was that amazing Barca-type one-touch move by them which resulted in Rodriguez offside. I wouldn't be surprised if it still makes their season highlight reel. A very rare moment of class in this match. Up to ten points, which is shit, but no shitter than two other teams and not much shitter than several others. We only have to finish above three others, and don't have to swim faster than the shark yada yada.

HT. Pretty shit, but kept at it and applied a bit of pressure that forced a mistake that Wilson pounced on. ASM looks up for it, is playing in his position, and gets to play on the counter second-half with us ahead, not with two blerks constantly tracking him as normal. Needless to say, I'd bite your arm off for 1-0 FT.

Ferk me, in acres there.

Delicious to score a total shithousery Burnley goal off a second phase against them.