Thumbheed

Personally thought he was really good tonight but I'm not sure that role is the right one to get the best out of him.

Aye, Everton won't keep that up for the remainder of the season whereas we'll continue with what we've been doing the past few weeks, some huge players to come back into the fold as well.

Tbh I think they've just inflicted on us what we've been doing to other teams on our run. They seemed up for it from the get go and were pressing pretty well all game so I don't really play into this notion we played poorly, we were just made to look poor, especially in the second half. Stupid goal to concede though, cardinal sin conceding against 10. Perhaps we should have changed shape a little to disrupt the momentum Everton had, but not gonna lose sleep over this loss. 9 games till bliss.

Forum and Twitter economics is wild

The thing is he's always up there with the pressing stats and seemingly up there with the tackles as well and we know or knew at least that he had real quality on the ball so unless injuries have absolutely robbed him of that quality there's surely still a brilliant player in there? It's not like he didn't hold his own against 2 of the very best midfielders in the world.

This is why I'll always think there's something there with this lad.

Hmm, he's definitely not slower than Shelvey but I'm not even sure pace and acceleration is the type of quality you'd hope for in that type of midfielder anyway. As for Jo and him in midfield, honestly yes, I don't envisage any problems at all with whatever type of football we decide to play.

Do you think they have the freedom to speak out against the regime and MBS?

Eh! Slow?! He's not slow at all, he's just not quick. Those are 2 completley different things.

We have ourselves a special manager here.

Said it in the match thread but if you were watching closely you'll have seen him constantly covering passing angles to Jorginho from the centre halves. He played a vital role today and deserves credit despite being really poor on the ball.

Woods been screening off Jorginho all game. He's playing an important tactical role from I can see but ultimately been poor in the ball.

Debating the merits of these executions is probably not the path best trodden, considering the only info we have on the "crimes" commited by those excuted is from the Saudi media.

"Saudi Arabia beheaded 81 people today?" is not really opening gambit of a sensible discussion, is it? No issue with the discussion of our ownership, but we don't have to result to petty swipes in order to agitate that discussion, a lot of this board are openly uncomfortable with the ownership as it is.

Coming into a footballing thread to try and infer questionable moral integrity of the fans on a forum which already had a specific thread in chat on the very subject which long preceded our ownership is not the hot take you think it is. Show me how many football forums had the moral aptitude to even bother discussing the heinous actions of KSA before they were even a dot on the footballing horizon and I'll happily walk this comment back.

Dunno if it's been mentioned but was at the game apparently.

I actually thought that was one of his poorer games tbh but still levels above anything he's produced in the previous 2 years. I'm actually a fan of the fact he's actually applying himself for once and still think his selection in the team is merited based on his recent performances, but yesterday probably highlighted why we need someone who knows how to play that particular role and who won't be phased when playing against teams who dominate possesion like Brighton did.

Naah, I wouldn't change anything from the last game.

Probably get pelters for this but he wouldn't start for me even if he was fully fit. I know it was only against 10 men but the team looked so much more fluid in attack with Murphy and Fraser on the wings.

Think he'll start to see 'signs' tonight

Still at a 9.5, but only because I need to own it and I was very much an early bedwetter.

Strange one this, because I actually agree with what you're saying but then I ask myself why wouldn't we want more open discussions in the football? What harm could it possibly have it football was operated with that level of transparency and openess?

Thought we were a little unlucky tonight and sometimes you just need a bit of luck I can understand the fans frustration, but believe you me they won't be as frustrated as I am tonight. Look We go again

Emphatically proving me wrong and happy to admit that. He's seemingly addressing the checklist of concerns I'd had about his appointment and from what I'd seen early doors but needless to say, I'm now fully onboard the Howe train.

Aye he did. He was very much the missing piece in Rafa's counter attacking strategy and turned us from a team who could grind out results to a team that could thoroughly outplay teams. It wasn't a coincidence that our form rocketed after he signed. He was even singled out for some rough treatment from the opposition very quickly because of how impact full he was on thr break.