ExiledGeordie

Willock is ideal for this game now

Joelinton is needlessly physical and reactive at times, winds me up. Needs to take a leaf out of Tonali’s book.

Yeah they need to put this to bed no fucking about. Isak careless in letting that ball go out. We’ll get chances second half as they get tired, just hoping we don’t give them anything doing something stupid.

Yeah I agree with that. I think they’ll go relatively big in Jan (say RW) only if they can get a player who they’re pretty sure will really add something to the first team both in time but also add something different now and who creates greater depth. Or if someone suddenly became available such as the Gordon situation. This would also depend on outgoings in Jan.

I get all that but surely the 3rd option is you scout someone with immense talent and potential and roll the dice a bit otherwise we’ll never sign anybody 🤷‍♂️ We are going to have to start doing things differently and this is surely exactly the situation where Mitchel earns his crust?

Joelinton back in for Willock but otherwise unchanged?

City fan in my local raves about him

Playing at such a high level and will only get better. I imagine he’s learned loads from Trippier.

What’s surprised me is just how quick he is!

By all accounts has been on a strength programme as well as naturally filling out

Botman coming back and hopefully one signing in Jan will make all the difference again too

Isak is like Nunez currently, instinctive finishes no issue, ones where he has to think about it gets it all wrong

We’re still just not clinical enough with our chances man

Has to score that man

I know some people don’t think we’ll do anything in Jan but I think we’ll be active pending some outgoings. It’s still an important window after the debacle in the summer and it’s important for Mitchel too. We’re not cut adrift from European race and it wouldn’t take wholesale changes to make a really positive impact on the team for the second half of the season. RW signing would be immense.

Trafford surely coming in if Dubravka goes?

Does the second leg at st James come close with any of their champions league fixtures?

Does the champions league effect them at all fixtures wise? My worry is leaving ourselves too much to do going into the 2nd half but let’s see.

And score goals

Botman back, Tonali playing 6 and a new RW could make all the difference for the second half of the season

I disagree I think we’ll sign someone if we can but it’ll involve outgoing sales if they can be done

I have a feeling Barnes will be off (I think he’ll be away in the summer anyway)

I think some have made their mind up already and are Howe out whatever happens. I think he should get January and Botman back and see how he does rest of the season particularly with Tonali’s emergence. I don’t see a change now as that beneficial.

Agreed but there were also some predicting we’d lose both games and we haven’t. On the flip side I think Ipswich is a different test of our mettle to go away and win and against a side we should probably beat.

Howe has been found out a little at times this season but any manager do didn’t have any key additions to the first 11 in recent windows would suffer from squad staleness.