Thiago

It would really annoy me it's not signed by him as petty as that sounds

I wouldn't prioritise current Premier League players. It's convenience shopping. If we look at Man City's most influential players in the last decade - David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero - they were all imported. You'll need tot do some shopping domestically for the spine in time, but as we've seen in January you're getting so much more value abroad than you are in England. We have a solid core of reliable English lads, it's about adding those game changers.

I'd steer clear of Calvert-Lewin.

Curious take.

Dr No Wins in 7. Casino Royale with Cheese.

Shearer's got his biases like we all do. Not gonna slate his mate in Bruce either. Preferred to slate the performances. Still a legend.

They're a very good band (not heard any of their recent stuff mind).

They're upset that the Futureheads haven't offered to play Wise Men Say before gigs.

I find him really entertaining when he's not anywhere near my club Like if they put a sunday league manager in a professional job.

This will be oddly niche, but so many of his songs would be perfect for a Super Sunday montage.

By all accounts Neill's football is turgid but more consistent than Johnson's. That could serve them well in the playoffs if he just grinds out three results. What would concern me is that you've got a strong three horse race at the top and whoever doesn't make that cut will be a tough opponent.

Stop putting the cart before the horse. We are not safe yet.

I see Glendennig is making a tit of himself again.

Packed home crowd, lads all ready, hopefully a big win.

It's on us too. If were not switching the point of attack quickly for him to get those 1v1s it's chicken and egg.

Welcome and really interesting post. I think you sum it up well. We came in with an approach that at best felt optimistic at worst felt naive. Howe has shown in the past a willingness to go toe to toe with top teams (he famously beat Conte's Chelsea this way). The more time I have to digest the game the more I wonder if there's a part of Howe viewing this as an audition for next season. Where are the problem areas? Who could be part of the squad? We're not going to verhaul entirely, so some have to stay, and what do their roles look like.

He's also been wrestling with injury on and off. I think he'll need something sorting in the summer but we shouldn't write him off.

Conditional purchase option for €35m. He seems tailor made for a Conte system as part of the midfield or front three.

Love him for calling Custis a fat cunt.

He has a lot of work to undo.

Yep, hence the 'bar one season'. Mediocre tallies with a 1 in 3 striker. Here he's closer to 1 in 2.

6 in 20, 8 in 28, and 8 in 35. I'd say that's closer to 1 in 4 than 1 in 2. His record here is hard to validate given the injury.

I must admit I don't know if we create a ton of chances for strikers in this system either. Wilson's record at Bournemouth was very mediocre bar one season and we see how good he is with us.

Sad to see Conte going from celebrating titles to putting 5 past us for fourth