Lush Vlad

Bruno. I don’t even think it’s close and that isn’t a slight on the other two. I love them and what they bring to the side.

There is some GK coach/analyst on Twitter that I follow. Looks at keepers using the 'collapse' method or something like that. Not moving their feet pre shot and often not getting a good hand on it or getting down to it late. I think it's a massive criticism against Onana and it feels like it's the same for Dubravka. I know it is a bit different as they're big old units. But you don't see Alisson or Pope for example regularly at full stretch and not getting across. As they usually have great footwork before diving.

I think for someone that lives and breathes football. To the point where it almost seems unhealthily obsessive. Would not be a good fit as an international manager. Nor would he want it. I thought the same when people used to suggest Wenger (I haven’t imagined that, have I?!) for the England job and I always thought it about Rafa. Although he might have to take a job like that soon. As his stock has fallen so low. If he is getting anything approaching abuse. Then we must have had a horrendous end to the season and losing him wouldn’t be so bad as it would feel right now.

After the Euros.

I think he would tell them no thanks and I’d be happy if he did.

I was mainly watching the Wales v Poland game last night. Loads riding on it, yet it was dreadful.

Up the Polska.

Well. That’s why he had that aura about him. He is much better than all of them

Bellingham and Foden giving off an aura of “I’m too good for the rest of you lot”. Only had it on for half an hour. But constantly over playing, being greedy, picking the wrong pass.

This Belgium kit is giving off massive Sunday league vibes. Looks like the shirts are not supposed to go with the shorts and socks.

Hardly a hot take. But International football outside of tournaments. Is mind numbingly dull.

Ampadu looks really good for Wales.

We won’t change it and I’m not even sure we have the personnel to play more of a 4-2-3-1 currently. But I feel like a formation change is an avenue we need to explore. Unless Joe White or Anderson are suddenly going to start playing in midfield regularly. With only three fit CM’s. One of which has been below par and playing through injury most the season. The other has been missing through injury most the season. We really need to do something. Other than play them for 90 minutes every game until they break down.

I know 2-3 minutes highlight reels from a game can make players look better than they are. But I almost gave up criticising him during a game, based on just watching the highlights afterwards. Would regularly message a couple of mates during games when I thought he was below par. Then you'd see back some of the outrageous passes or bits of skill he'd managed to pull off during the game and wonder WTF you were watching I've said it loads on here. But it felt like he set the bar so high, regularly churning out 8 or 9s every week. That when he dropped to a 7, whilst still being very good and one of our best players on the day. He was getting stick, as it was noticeable. I do think the fact he suddenly started scoring goals for us, something he hasn't really done throughout his career and then they dried up/he returned to normal on that front. Will perhaps have skewed opinions a bit. I definitely think we have got a bit spoilt watching him and are taking him for granted. In my mind. He is 100% our most important player and would be the hardest to replace. For everything he brings on the ball, off the ball and all of the other intangibles like him being a mad fucker and loving it here.

Depends on each individual, the position they play, their recovery and rehab, the physio. Too many variables, I think. It used to be a much more serious and intrusive procedure. The healing time was a lot longer and players would struggle to come back anywhere near the same. Whilst this is far from ideal. I don’t think it is quite so bad as it once was with keyhole surgery and modern day medical science. I bet you can go through plenty of examples of players that have had it and got back to something like their best. I’m just too lazy to do the research VVD springs to mind. Although he did take some time to regain his imperious form. He’ll have close to the best rehab facilities money can buy and he’s young. I think and hope he’ll come back just fine. The only crumb of comfort I can take from this. Is that something was clearly still limiting him and it is good that it’s getting sorted. The drop off in quality was a concern. But always felt like there was more to it than him becoming a bad player overnight.

I have been keen on Tosin for a while. But if Spurs (maybe not now after Dragusin, but Van de Ven is never fit) and Liverpool are genuinely interested. Then we can forget that one.

I can accept myself and others are putting 2 and 2 together and getting 74. I can accept the club have acted on specialist and 3rd party advice (although I’m sure it was reported at the time there were some advising on the op, some not). What I can’t accept is that someone who missed 3-4 months with an ACL problem. Who returned and looked physically miles off it (sorry, Shadow Puppets ) and is now having an ACL operation. Has suffered a fresh, unrelated injury in the same knee. There is no way they are not related.

I mean if he has damaged his ACL. Comeback and looked miles off it, slow and not agile like before. With him now damaging it beyond repair/rupturing it. I fail to see how they’re not linked. By no means a specialist. But had 4 ops in the same knee. Two involving my ACL and had to do all of the mind numbing, depressing physio. So I do take some interest in it.

Didn’t he come off with a knock in that knee with a view to resting it and miss a game? Not linked, I’m sure. Too many players breaking down again, being rushed back, testing injuries out etc. All a coincidence and bad luck, I’m sure.

You think the knee functions the same when you’ve got a problem with one of the ligaments in it? I see Hope is saying it’s a different injury but the same knee. But it was his ACL the first time and it is his ACL again, no? How is that a new injury. You don’t think they’re linked in any way?

I’m sure it will just be Lascelles in for Botman. But I wouldn’t mind seeing Burn get a game at CB. Going against what I’ve said about him previously. As I know he has looked poor there a couple of times when he’s moved inside. But he had plenty of good games there when he first came in and last season (I think?). So wouldn’t mind seeing a left footed CB still and an actual full back next to him.

Was that before or after we misdiagnosed his injury and sent him back out to play with a damaged ACL and then made it a lot worse? I did mention in another post further back that I know they have far more data and knowledge than us. But that’s the same for every aspect of the club and it doesn’t stop fans voicing their concerns and opinions. He has comeback and clearly been feeling the effects of it and nowhere near right. Now he’s broken down again. I don’t think it’s just being smart after the event or in hindsight. It felt like at the time we handled it poorly, loads said as much and it’s been proven right to some degree.

I’d imagine he had damaged his ACL and this is a rupture/them going with a graft to replace the damaged/snapped ligament. Plenty of players comeback from an ACL these days. Not overly worried about that. It’s not like he’s had the op and then the graft has gone and then two ops. Which I’m told is the big worry when that happens. Still massively pissed off at how badly we have managed the injury and feel sorry for him on a personal level.