Smal

Need more of ASM going down the outside.

Would try swapping Fraser and ASM to see if ASM does any better when he can go to the byline. He's bang out of form, like.

I'd be amongst the first to defend him, but ASM is really not on it at the moment.

You can pass through our midfield without even thinking about it.

The alternative is playing Matt Ritchie and we lose.

GK Krafth - Schar - Lascelles - Tripper Willock - Shelvey - Jo Murphy - Wood - ASM

I think Joelinton is best as a wide central midfielder in a 3 who operates in the half spaces; not as a defensive mid. You want to make use of his pressing higher up the pitch so he can win the ball in more dangerous areas, I think. I just wish he'd get in the box and try to score more. We need someone to play the deeper role. Shelvey does not offer any protection at all. He has definitely been running around more recently but he has to because he's never in position. I suppose Kamara would be ideal for this from what I've heard.

nah, pen all day. You can’t grab someone round the neck and drag them to the ground. Saved!

Auba got covid just last week whilst in Africa.

‘kin hell man. Hope he’s ok.

Ake has played 14 times for the best team in the country this season and City would only have 3 centre backs if they sold him. He’s not close to realistic as a January signing.

Initial instinct is that this is an absolutey terrible signing.

Like the look of Brennan Johnson at Forest. Few prem clubs linked atm.

I like it a lot to be honest. Arteta clearly has standards.

There are problems all over the pitch to be honest. We can blame our defence for recent losses but today the midfield and forwards looked totally clueless apart from Shelvey. To the extent where you're not sure what they worked on in training.

Hopefully Eddie knows the rules better than this

Honestly I really hate Matt Ritchie.

I know he's in midfield now but you really want Joelinton doing more in their area when we have the ball wide. Longstaff too.

I think ASM is fine as a striker if we're having to play on the counter, but not in a game like this. Doesn't make the right decisions.

We really need a left back . No point in signing centre halves for hundreds of billions if Ritchie is there letting someone in at the far post several times a game.

I don't think Howe would choose to get rid of Schar either to be honest. I think (hope!) it's quite telling that when he's played them both he's played Schar as the right-sided centre back and Lascelles on the left when the latter has always played on the right (in a 2) for past managers. Botman is left footed, so you would presume he would play on the left.

We do need a striker but I'm pretty confident ASM can play as a 9 under Howe if not. He did well there vs Liverpool and in the second half vs Man U until he went off.

I dunno. They've been after the club since uh... October 2017. With that in mind you'd assume there has been some planning done in the meantime so they'll know what structure and types of people they want in place. It seems to be taking a while longer than clubs usually take to make appointments (or indeed sack people); especially considering the precarious position the club is in. Caulkin has mentioned a decision making structure in place within PIF numerous times and perhaps that's not working to our advantage.

How long we seem to take to do stuff worries me a bit, like.

Their formation is absolutely tragic against a wing back system. Always loads of space for Semedo and Marcal.