Thiago

It's a bit shit that he gets no protection from refs. He's clearly targeted.

It wasn't about giving him a pass, it was about accepting the situation for what it was - a means to an end. We needed someone that was proven to score goals in this league. If you draw up a list of eligible candidates for the role they tended to fall down for at least one of three reasons; they weren't for sale, they didn't want to join a team in the relegation zone, or their club knew they had no need to sell and would leverage that in negotiations (Lille and Sevilla did exactly that). Whether you love or hate Chris Wood he's managed at least double figures in the league for the last five years. He can consider himself proven at Premier League level. Even then, we were only able to sign him because of a release clause, and so the club assumed if we gave him chances he'd do a solid job of converting while offering us some kind of nuisance presence up top. Now, where I agree with you is that Wood does rely heavily on a very specific style that we just don't play. He thrives on crosses and loose balls in the box, and I also believe he's at his best when working with a strike partner that creates space for him. If we'd missed out on an obviously better candidate I could understand the frustration. Even Wout Weghorst - the man painted as an infinitely better deal - has managed the same goal return playing in a side that is actually set up toward him.

Worth it alone for that bit he did about 'the ball izzz your fren'.

Maybe. Either way we're buying a big money forward this summer.

His shortcomings have been more pronounced during this poor run. Part of me is just counting down the days until Wilson is back.

Meh. We're not getting it to him in good areas and playing him as a false nine/split forward gives the defender an easy time.

Improved us a lot.

His poorest game in CM.

Hmmm. He had a great start and was central to that run of form. Now he's regressed and I feel like today was the time to draw a line under it even if some of the opposition was top six. We can't keep exposing him in central areas high up the field. He also has to pick his game up and stop being the cliche big dirty English defender. Right now if we stay up he's sitting as a back up option for me.

If we'd won playing his way I'd be hailing him. Instead I'm demanding a bit more pragmatism. He needs much better players to operate the way he wants against top teams.

Styles make fights and our high pressing with poor players was perfect for what they wanted to do. I think Howe has to take some responsibility for today. I'd have preferred we went for a back three and really forced them to play through us. I'd have shut us down at least until half time just to get there. Howe's forward thinking style is admirable but a dose of pragmatism would have been nice. Second half showed how much work we have to do even to be sniffing the top half. He's awful is Jones. Not fit to sit in the same chair as Chamberlain.

I see Jermain Defoe fancied a nice warm studio and a decent pay packet over struggling to beat Gillingham.

I actually really enjoyed that one.

L'Union in Gabon claiming we've agreed to sign Didier NDong in the summer

Why are people getting riled at Treacy story? It's fucking funny and speaks to a young manager trying things. I don't think I'd want to be up at 8am to traipse through a field of sheep shit when we could be somewhere nice. He also is quick to admit he fucked his career up and most managers could likely tell bad stories about him being a wrong 'un. Love the idea of our lads trying it, but either way I'm always curious to hear stories about Howe.

Ex-Ashley hold over. Plus didn't he go on defending him doing punditry for Sky?

Sometimes forget he's only 22. There's always going to be consistency issues for that reason but he offers us a lot as a midfield 8. Would love to see him have a big game on Sunday.

Conte has had a wonderful career in management already. That said, two of his more pronounced struggles are managing multiple competitions (he rarely does well in Europe) and also figuring out how to break through a stern defence. I sometimes think it's a consequence of his reliance on pressing. We've seen under Eddie Howe how an organised press can really help a team create chances without needing a lot of the ball. That's grand, but when the team you're facing doesn't really come out and try to play, how do you then create the space required? Short answer, you don't, so everything needs to be more precise. They may still batter us, score a few corners, a well worked cross, who knows. I do think Conte is a good bet for Spurs long term, but only if they actually have the stones to back him and build him a squad capable. Right now, the defence alone is nowhere near it.

If we play like we did against Chelsea I think we can win. Spurs and Conte sides tend to most damage on transition. A low block is a killer for them.

He was the year after.

He made a number of appearances at youth level - that's how Sunderland found him.

Werner was never going to be a good fit for a team like Chelsea in my opinion. He's billed as a 'forward' suggesting he can play across the front line, but in reality he doesn't have the technical skill to play wide or the presence to play as a lone striker. His whole success in Germany was built around playing in a front two and even then he'd whiff some good chances. He also wasn't the most confident young man so putting him at a disposable club like Chelsea was a recipe for disaster.

Arca was the poundshop Solano. I did like him as a player, but he'd never have got near our starting XI.

Ran past them lads like they'd called his number at the takeaway.

I think we're fast getting into semantics here because I think there are many a manager that has a system but no identity.