Crayola Kid

From a Jonathon Wilson Q+A in the Guardian today With players like Trent Alexander-Arnold flowing between full-back and midfield, is there a shift towards position-less football? Are there any other tactical innovations unfolding, or that you see occurring in the near future? Kris, Massachusetts While positions are obviously important for basic defensive structure, I think that’s been a growing trend for a while. I remember talking to Slaven Bilić 20 years ago and him saying how he prefers to think in terms of roles rather than positions. Essentially formations, at the highest level, are rough guides rather the governing structures they were three or four decades ago. The biggest innovation now, I think, is data – although that’s a very difficult innovation to track from the outside.

He took a harder chance than the one Trippier laid on for him yesterday when playing for the u21s, from a similar sharp low cross from wide and he buried it through bodies. He’ll be fine, but Barnes may have grabbed the shirt for next week. Great to have a squad pushing each other

Yes that’s fair but people are suggesting taking, as an example - Longstaff, out of the starting side as some kind of demotion or a significant move for day 1 of the season. We will hopefully be able to swap a few in and out during the busy periods in a way we haven’t managed before. Was clear to see we had a few tired players in certain games late last season, hopefully the plans this summer are not just to replace people but to increase our options week by week

Hoping/expecting that we reach the position in terms of squad strength that we are able to take a Bruno (example) out of the team a few times in autumn and winter with the aim of being in good shape through the spring run in. Pep is a master at this, as has been Klopp. Get the numbers, up get the quality up, forget about a ‘first 11’, and use the fact that we can afford to have 15 or 16 top quality players. Great season ahead!

Daft question maybe, but are we reading this as 24/25 being the first season qualification changes, i.e. 5th place in that season gets CL for 25/26, or that 24/25 is the first season where the extra teams will be included, meaning qualifying via 23/24 premier league positions?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995–96_FA_Premier_League We got 78 under Keegan in 95/96, 38 game season

Anyone think the change to 3 centre backs was what Trippier was desperately trying to communicate to the bench? Coincidental timing if not, and it did help smooth the last few minutes out after some hairy moments

Not to go too far from football in this forum, but Lineker and Attenborough were both featured in stories about the BBC today. If Sir David wanted to twist the knife, he could attempt to link the two stories together in this way.

The more who publicly pass on it, like Wright and Shearer have, the worse it will look for whoever steps in. Hope Sir David Attenborough offers his services

It does provide another handy excuse, alongside wedding season, holidays, shift work, etc. Official crowd figure 40k, actual crowd 30k, but HUGE numbers of confused pensioners fumbling with their tv remote controls/Nokia 3310’s by the turnstiles trying to find out how to get in

If they are being honest, the surviving members of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup squad will be relieved that they never had to come up against this Coventry side

I went from Dolby to stereo in the audio options, that got rid of the echo too

I think it’s possibly the opposite - we could be MORE likely to buy a player of this stature (in terms of his own options) in January because of our continued good form. At the very least, some potential doubts any players we targeted may have had have started to be addressed. Our recent winning run is even more impressive than our second half form last season, as the football we play has improved.

He’s ridiculously good like. We can either sign a defensive mid to allow him to go forward, or a creator which would let him sit deeper and kill teams off. Pretty much Tiote and Cabaye in one player, he could play either role very well in this team

It was one of those games where you notice him more for his defensive actions, Man U away was similar. Both were against a very strong midfield, and today Chelsea’s mids barely had a touch for over an hour. You can’t ask for the sparkling attacking stuff as well in a game like this. He was great doing his job today, Kovacic and Jorginho never got going thanks to him

I was 18 when Keegan took over, and yes there was a definite change in the years that followed but I put it down to going all seater as much as anything else. There’s just nothing in today’s match day experience that’s like the immediate aftermath of a goal being scored witnessed from a packed terrace - for better or for worse. That energy lasted longer than the minute or two we often see following a goal today

The number of players each side has going to the world cup mid season will surely be a factor too. Next season is set to be a funny one

I had to listen to 5 live tonight, even Chris Waddle wants to find positives around NUFC now. Funny how things change!

Any takers for Bruce somehow stumbling onto player having a ‘Willocky’ streak in front of goal, and so fluking a run to a shitty win in the play off final, and joining us in the prem next season? I think I could really enjoy his puffed up pride leading to yet another fall. i do understand this doesn’t reflect well on me as a person, but it would mean having two reasons to watch MOTD each week, at least until he was sacked in October

A West Ham player (possibly Fornals?) was getting in Shelvey’s face as they went into the tunnel at half time, until a huge hand appeared on his shoulder, Dan Burn wasn’t having it!

For me, I remember Clarke would play the ball forward quickly whenever he got in possession, setting us away time after time against defenders who were out of position. Batty would play it back and forth between himself and the fullbacks, instead of starting an attack. By the time it went forward, defenders were set waiting for it. Simplistic view maybe, and Batty’s approach was useful in games against better sides, but that was what changed our results from mid season, more than Asprilla joining.

Little bit conflicted here. Richest club in the world, blah blah blah, but, will my IPTV be fucked?

I hope Everton make a public statement about the negative response helping them decide not to give Benitez the job. I hope Keys, Gray, and all the fans gloat very publicly, and tell themselves they influenced the decision. I hope Everton get a huge name instead, like they ‘deserve’. And I hope Rafa Benitez takes Newcastle above them in the table with home and away wins against them, without speaking out. Just popping his specs in his top pocket after the wins

Stopped going regularly long before Ashley arrived. Under Sir Bobby we had a great team playing in a great stadium but the atmosphere had evaporated. Long periods of near silence, a half minute of shouting when we scored, some polite applause now and again. Watch pretty much all the games on iptv now, do get affected by results, much prefer a win whoever is manager/owner but would much prefer a new manager and a new owner. Would love to be 17 standing on a terrace watching KK’s team again, nothing will bring that back though. Miserable cunt in short aye?