Smal

We were absolutely superb without the ball today. The press had logic behind it and we’ve found the right shape. Best I’ve seen us in that regard.

Can’t believe what I’m seeing. Guy is so good.

Just stay onside

Thank me at full time, lads

Ryan Fraser totally invisible again

I’m not at all optimistic about him but he has been fine so far today. Absolutely not his fault that no one is getting nowhere near him when the ball’s in the air and he’s winning it more often than not.

CAPTAIN MARVEL

I didn’t think it was possible but Jonjo Shelvey might actually be too thick to play football.

I’m thinking Bruno for Willock before HT.

Wish players would anticipate Wood winning the aerial duels, like. ASM and Fraser just stood whilst the ball is in the air.

So boring. Oh well.

I would agree if our midfield wasn't absolutely desperate and the most tragic in the league at possession.

Most forwards would’ve just fallen over if they’d tried that.

Massive boos at no half time food

I think Dummet is really poor as anything other than a left sided centre back but he has shown infinitely more than Lewis has in his time here, sorry like.

Sounds harsh but… hopefully, right? He has had plenty of chances and been really quite bad for us, and if we don’t see him again it will mean we’ve stayed up and improved on him. It’s sad he hasn’t worked out but I dunno why people are getting upset by it.

I don’t think you want him sitting. He needs to be getting up and down the pitch winning the ball and progressing it. He is very effective at covering ASM’s defensive responsibilities out on the left too.

Just thinking out loud but I wonder if you could solve the problem of Fraser/Murphy being our only right wing options by not playing one and using a 3-4-2-1 instead. Dubs Schar - Lascelles - Burn Trippier - Shelvey - Bruno - Targett Joelinton - Saint-Max Wilson Targett as a wing back isn't ideal if he's not up to much in an attacking sense, but he would be play quite defensively anyway and allow ASM and Trippier to do their thing further up the pitch.

Yeah, I think he will make Shelvey’s role in the team obsolete really. The midfield is definitely the most intriguing selection facing Howe.

As much as Shelvey has been the better performer than Willock, I think i’d want Bruno at the base with Willock and Jo ahead of him. At least then you have a possible goal threat and willing forward runner in Willock; something we’d really be missing with a 3 of Bruno/Shelvey/Jo.

Will be really interesting to see where exactly he plays. 6, 8, part of a double pivot? I expect Shelvey to continue in a deep position. He is not mobile enough to play further forward.

Very bad player. Glad we’ve seen the last of him.

I’d definitely have taken him on those terms like

Annoying that Weghorst is probably a decent upgrade on Wood for Burnley. The Wood signing looks worse by the day to me, like. Hope to be proved wrong obviously.

I get why the thread’s been closed, but armchair pundit’s views in the Greenwood thread really need to be fucking stomped on. Absolutely ridiculous like, sorry.