Thiago

I honestly think we're still taking off to use a plane analogy. The destination of our January business will be swayed massively by the points tally come late December. No way is Dembele joining - even on loan - to be in the relegation zone.

I feel a bit sad thinking about Ritchie. Around the time Rafa Benitez left I thought he was primed for status as a Cult Hero that could ride off into the sunset, ala Kevin Nolan. Instead, and I don't blame him for this, he's hung around and got older, slower, and moved further back to the point where I believe every team sees him as a point of vulnerability. I can't question the guy's commitment or his willingness to do better next week, but the same is true of John Beresford and I wouldn't want him starting midweek either.

I think Andy's point may carry weight if this was game two or three of a 38 game season. Eddie Howe has picked things up a little under a third of the way in, with several winnable games already in the books. Even if we'd started with the big six in that spell I'd feel more responsibility going his way, but when you can't grab three points from Southampton and Leeds at home, or Watford away (who sacked their manager the next game) what chance have you got?

He definitely seemed a more impactful player last season, even outside of his goals. He wasn't an all-rounder per-se, but I thought his ability to carry it and press were impressive strings to his bow. Right now, my big concern is how we accommodate him long term because we've got all our good players at the top end of the pitch (Dubravka aside). It's nice to have depth, but I can see Eddie Howe persisting with Willock in a CM role even though I don't believe that allows him much opportunity to crash into the box.