Lush Vlad

If you can be arsed to go back and look at the lineups. Then be my guest but I barely remember him playing on the right for us. Less than 5 times, at a guess? I think he did play there for Everton, mind and if it was my decision on who plays there and out Gordon and Barnes. Then I would put Gordon on the right, for sure. I’m sure they can interchange. Isak has often had spells in games where he ends up playing off the left. It’s not like we have a really rigid formation.

Can we confirm Vardy’s age, please? Oh and whether or not he did Guehi for pace on Saturday.

Agree about Fletcher. I actually like his passion up to a point. He does one of the BBC Football pods now. He clearly knows his stuff and has strong opinions. But FFS wind it in now and again. I’m not saying a host or lead commentator shouldn’t have an opinion at all. But I’ve always felt they are supposed to remain more neutral and the co-comms or pundits dissect it all and offer their take. For the most part, that’s how it seems to go. Well, on this pod. It feels like it’s run by a fanzine or something. He gets bogged down going round in circles and being the main one to offer up a take on every subject. Pretty jarring to listen to.

Did he? Remember him being on the left almost all the while. With the odd game on the right. Got Brentford in my head, for some reason?

This. Worst co-commentator by a mile. Always sounds really pompous and arrogant about everything. Whilst having the benefit of hindsight to tell everyone what the player should have been doing. Ruins every game he is on.

It’s better than the West Ham goal. But the scenes after that one went in were incredible. Ando losing his mind shouting makes it even better

Not bad for 45 minutes work.

Said it a couple of times yesterday. But he was asked to play that box midfield role that Trippier did well at times last season. Didn’t seem like his game at all. He was pretty bad at it, in fact. He is more of a traditional full back who is great at pushing forward to support on or off the ball. His passing is nothing like Trippier’s or Hall’s and he wasn’t good receiving the ball in tight areas. He could learn that role in time, I guess. But sort of takes away what he’s good at. Think he’s a brilliant defender. But I don’t feel he has done enough to be keeping Trippier out the side. Then again, I don’t know how bad things are behind the scenes in relation to that.

This. Even taking his goal out of his performance. Just having him back in for his passing is huge. Just switches play easily and makes those diagonals look effortless. Really important player for us. Especially with no Trippier or Botman in the back 4 with their passing.

First 10 minutes or so. I thought we were on for another big Joelinton display. Kept winning it back, popping up in the right place to intercept passes, box to box. Then he dropped off. Caught on the ball, not offering much with his passing. Then he had his customary head loss after disagreeing with the ref. Before getting more annoyed and then finally the needless yellow. I love his passion and he mostly channels his aggression well. But I was saying some mates yesterday. You can watch him building up and getting more annoyed over a few fouls or incidents. He then feels like a walking yellow and possibly worse after that. Not sure it is something you can sort and you wouldn’t want to take that drive and aggression away. But it is a hinderance at times. Along with some of his limitations on the ball.

Really surprised to see him getting a bit of stick. I thought the team looked more balanced with him in as opposed to Kelly. At least in possession, anyway. Maybe balanced is the wrong word. As we still offer fuck all down the right. Anyway. I feel like him getting criticism for yesterday baffling, TBH. Plenty of our bigger name players had far worse games. Take your pick from pretty much anyone in the outfield starting XI bar probably Schar and Gordon. Tino on the other side had a much worse game. Feels like he’s being made a bit of a scapegoat.

Agree with this. We really lose more from having Murphy/Almiron on the right and Gordon left. Than moving Gordon across to accommodate Barnes. His numbers and ruthless efficiency just means he has to be starting and in his preferred position.

Same. Was in the pub with an Arsenal supporting mate. He went as mad as I did when it went in probably just happy to have a bit of quality in the game.

I thought he was brilliant. So glad to see him back. That said. He does still feel a bit positionless to me? I can’t see him starting many games in our strongest XI. But at the same time, we need him getting good minutes.

Fair play today. One of my main gripes with Howe, is how long he takes to make changes. I always feel like we wait until 55-60 minutes or mote before we make subs. He never seems to freshen things up at HT. But then today. He makes 3 subs after 45. Even if one of them was enforced. It’s still positive and something I’d like to see more of.

I always feel like Pope makes saves that look routine. But in fact, they are anything but. That’s not an easy save from Cunha. But he made it look straightforward. We all know he is bad with the ball at feet. But the biggest compliment I can pay him is how he makes the hard stuff look easy when it comes to keeping the ball out the net.

Play him from the start.

0-30 - very good 30-70 - disgraceful 70-90 - pretty. Pretty. Good….. Up the fucking Mags

He is terrible in that box midfield role, I know that much. Which also takes away from his defending. He is great off the ball and carrying it forward. But he offers fuck all with his passing.

I genuinely think we played well for 25-30 mins. But playing Tino in the box midfield role and expecting Murphy and Longstaff to produce fuck all is pretty infuriating. Need to get Tonali and Barnes on at HT. But Howe doesn’t do HT subs.

Longstaff losing it for no reason. Playing well. Yet soft as fuck when it matters.

In the XI? Imagine they’re in the squad, at least. Trippier’s insta had the customary game day post. Would be annoying if him and Tonali aren’t starting. But half expecting the latter not to be in from the start. Barnes really should be starting games. Deserves a run in the side and is efficient as fuck.

You’d like to think so.

Can Pope kick it far enough for the route one shite they play at Everton?

I was thinking the other week. That the prem had been a bit card happy so far this season. Didn’t think much more of it and thought it’s probably just another part of modern football I hadn’t properly noticed before. I then heard it mentioned on comms earlier about how easily yellow cards are given out now and how perhaps the bans for 5 and 10 games should be changed to reflect that. As players are getting booked for fuck all. Well, I’m paraphrasing the last bit.