M1tche

Our midfield has become an issue for 2 reason. Firstly, only 1 of them can consistently receive the ball in any situation, Longstaff isn't good enough to do it and never will be and Miley is just too weak due to age. Secondly, they're incredibly 1 paced, no-one has any type of recovery pace or the pace to drive through the lines and cause a problem. Having Willock back changes that, but he still won't start for a few weeks.

Commanded his box? they put every set piece into the 6 yard box. He came off his line well for a few long balls, but in every other part of his game you can see why he's 3rd choice.

Can see why he started, the plan was to try and stay in the game and then try to create him a moment, unfortunately Arsenal started stupidly well and the game was gone before we got even close to that

The back 4 has been exposed for a number of weeks now, that massive gap between them and the midfield is the problem.

Not a good GK, kicking is as bad as Popes, and he doesn't seem to hold anything. Made a few saves, but they were pretty much straight at him.

Showed in that short spell what we've missed, powerful running on and off the ball and isn't scare to keep if it there is no pass on. Great to see him back. Hopefully no more break downs.

A rare off day, these things happen.

I thinknl he got it wrong today not going with a back 5, but some of the efforts levels today were shocking. Having Willock back is massive because he does thing none of the current 3 can do. Him Bruno and Miley should be the main 3 until other come back.

He's effort levels for shocking today.

Came on did OK once Arsenal took off all their starting attackers. Should he have started, yes. In a back 5 though, to defend the threat from set pieces, still don't want him back at LB over Tino

Weirdly I think we'll somehow get something. Back 5, 5-4-1 with Burn still playing. then isak and willock to come on late to either salvage a point or nick the win

Us not playing that well I'd done to being short of numbers, when a few more come back, the performances will get better (although we were pretty good at Villa not long ago). Both Man U and Villa are pretty much full strength and don't look any better than us. If we beat Man U. We then only need 2 more points than them over the the rest ofnthe game to finish about them, not the hardest task.

As much as I dislike Man U, anything other than a Villa win was ok for us. 10 to Villa who look to very much be on the wobble and 5 to Man U, who we can beat.

The Man U and Tottenham game are key for where we finish, beat Tottenham and Draw at Man U and I think that leaves us with a good chance of 5th tbh. Both Villa and Tottenham have the top 3 play, plus each other. We only have Arsenal (after they play in europe) and Tottenham at home. We have players coming back, and are just getting a good run of results together. Its time for a late charge.

No way can we blame Dubs for that

Thats pathetic

Get Burn off, that is way too easy

That wasnt even good football, was literally just a case of let a quick player have a run at a really slow player. Tino not starting almost counteracts the rest of the good happening in this set up

This set up from Howe is class, they would have planned to press on our deepest midfielder (which the would have thought would be Bruno), switching him for Miley and then having Trippier tuck in on the ball to get us playing, is a masterstroke, which has them unsure of when to press now

Gordan has such quick feet

Miley Middle of midfield 3 could be interesting, I think that will be his postion long term, but at 17 its a hard thing to do

No-one said he plays the same position, but if you combine his current attributes with the extra things people say he should be better at you'd be looking at an elite CM

unless we're getting in and around the 50-60mil range we should be keeping him. He has the odd off game, but never really looks out of place in the game against the best teams when we play them. What he does in quite unique, if we want someone that also adds finesse, consistent passing and shooting, then you're talking Veira/Yaya Toure levels.

It's not even the just getting left for dead quite often. He offers nothing going forward from open play. Yet he's driving into centre mid and losing the ball for them to go and score the 4th

Rapid wingers, slow wingers it's doesn't matter. If you can't remember go a look at the goals we have conceded this season and see how many are from the side. Either from not even getting close to stop a cross or getting roasted. Even at Fulham they got in behind numerous times, they were just too crap to do anything about it. Villa game when Bailey came on it looked like they'd get right back into until Tino came on, Walker having about 3 days to cross for Man.c's 1st, Salah for at least 1 of the goals. That's just the recent stuff. Burn was solid last season, and was at times this season, but there's not a single reason he should be starting over Livramento