Mazzy

The most frustrating thing about this game is that 4/5 of our sqaud could be playing for Sheff Wed and no one would bat an eye.

Isak should've had 3 so far. 2 good saves from the keep admittedly but that last one he needs to get away from the defender or pass it and he did neither.

I'm not even sure he does give his all, that would mean he actually tries to fight to keep the ball, can't say I've ever seen him do that. Of all the things he does, that's the worst.

Well that made me look stupid. Ritchie with almost a superb run and goal.

Ritchie is fucked already

How often Murphy gives the ball away is astonishing. How does he not learn.

Lewis playing like the embodiment of the word "rusty"

Ritchie LW and Joelinton CM makes the most sense. I'm sure we'll find out very soon anyway.

I'm pleased with that team, it'll be good to see what they can do. There's enough there to win this game in a straightforward manner. Glad to see Anderson there, hopefully he impresses again as he usually does.

Or avoid being cup tied.

Ritchie admittedly is a surprise but Murphy was was always going to play and he's got enough to pull something out the bag against L1 teams.

Are we reading too much into him not being in the squad? Particularly when we've got 2 games coming up in the next 7 days and Wilson/Pope aren't there either.

He's got to have been in full training for longer than Howe has said, no way he's goes straight into the team after just a week of training, that doesn't seem right. Hopefully they've just been extra cautious and he's actually be ready for a couple of weeks already.

This camera angle is awful. (Gillingham v Leicester)

Usually couldn't give two shits about the cups but I'm actually looking forward to this one. If not only because we are much more interesting to watch but because I want to see a fee of the players who haven't had a chance this season. Obviously will be good to see ASM back but curious to see how players like Lewis/Manquillo/Anderson will fair against a decent in form teams. That's ofcourse if they are even playing.

Involved on the bench I hope.

Coady is one I thought about for those exact reasons but I don't think we are desperate for those qualities, we need technically better players and he isn't that. Can you imagine signing Coady next season and then you get a couple of injuries and end up with Lascelles and Coady playing at CB together.

I'd touch them all with a shitty stick. Them and all the Villa players aswell.

Looking at this Everton team and I can see potentially no player I would take from them when they get relegated. Gueye would've potentially been one but he's getting into his mid 30s so that seems unlikely and that Onana lad is another but I can see him fading into obscurity, his decsion making is clearly awful if he's chosen to play for Everton when he had other options.

Great feet from De Gea. That'll be on footballs funniest moments in years to come.

Tielemans is only 25. He's not the finished article, he can still get better and improve on aspects of his game. The fact he's already played 5 seasons in the Premier league and has played European football every season as a professional footabller is proof of what he is capable of. I've no doubt if he comes here he will improve immensely, not only because of Howe but because of the fact he is now coming into what is the prime age for a midfielder like him.

Only he'd know that for sure but with so many fixtures coming up in the next couple of months he's going to be starting alot more games and when he does he just has to make it count. Howe likes to keep a settled team so if he gets back in a we keep winning then I imagine he stays in for as long as he is fit.

We've consistently had a problem this season with breaking down teams who come to St James's with a low block and play for a draw. Right now, he's the biggest asset we have to deal with those type of games and the further we go into this journey the more often we'll come up against those teams. We still need him and I do think he's got a big part to play this season and next (especially with European football).

I think it's nigh on impossible to say out of the back 5 who has been the most influential in the defensive brilliance this season. They all play their part in different ways, each just as important as the other. But saying that the entire team/squad is responsible for the defensive stats considering how high we press. Winning the ball so often in the opposition half is one of the reasons we are able to stop the opposition from having many shots in the first place.

Plenty of players want to play football rather than sit on the bench. You see it at every club, even the ones at the top end of the table. Fraser, Ritchie and Dubravka are three that come to mind, I've no doubt they will jump at the chance if a decent offer comes in that means they'll get a shot at playing every week. I reckon Wood, Murphy and Lewis need to leave in the summer but are going to be difficult to shift, all for differing reasons.