Mazzy

No such thing as a first 11 this season though really. From now on, most weeks will contain midweek games so we'll have to rotate regardless of the previous result. Other than the back 5 I don't see the same team starting 2 games in a row.

Don't think that's true. Villa was proof that they can work together. Our midfield 3 does need some work on the training ground and Tonali does need to get himself into games more but it will work.

Probably not as good of a thing as it may first seem. Probably means Traore comes in for him. I'd much rather see our backline up against a McBurnie type player as apposed to two quick players willing to run in behind.

Is he the only British manager in the UCL this season. Can't think of another. In fact who was the last British manager to manage in Champions League? Was it Potter?

At some point Howe is going to have to actually rest one of those back 4 rather than just wait for them to get injured till he changes it. Needs to start getting Livramento some proper game time. Sheff Utd would be the perfect timing and opponent.

Can definitely see Trippier OR Burn being rested for this, not both. Other than that, I imagine it'll be the same team as Brentford with the possible exception of Gordon for Almiron depending on how he recovers during the week

Can see this being the way of things until FT. We'll struggle to get the ball back now.

Shocking that Wilson didn't get that free kick.

That's such a lazy ball from Gordon.

Perhaps it's more to do with the players providing chances for Isak rather than just him playing on his own? We've not created anything of note so he's not had the opportunity to have a shot.

Don't see it happening. Isak needs to be attacking their box not defending ours which is what Gordon has been having to do playing out wide and tracking Chukwueze.

I'd be having Longstaff and Tonali swap sides. Trippier doesn't need the help that Longstaff provides but Burn does and Tonali would have far more space where Longstaff is playing.

Glad its HT. Milan almost certainly deserve to be ahead and we've created very little.

Burn must've given the ball away/kicked it out about 4 times now.

They are extremely unlucky not to be ahead. Milan have been so dangerous on the counter attack we really need to be careful pushing so many forward for set pieces.

Just fuxking shooting Longstaff, what you diving for. Almost cost us a goal.

How the fuck that ends up as a goal kick.

One bad pass from Burn and we've gone to shit.

This UCL home kit is something else. Quite beautiful.

Just watched the press conference. There was more than a couple of really awful questions. Why do these journalists waste their opportunity asking the same boring, repetitive, pointless questions. Two people asked the same question about why they were late and then some guy asks "what do you want from this competition, like, to go all the way?" Unreal forming of a question and you could see Howe was baffled by how stupid it was.

Pretty much guaranteed he'll have his own tailored training routine in these times between weekend and midweek games. Need to do as much as possible to keep him fit.

He's only 23/24. When you look at what the really top tier strikers had achieved by that age its maybe obvious he's not going to be one of them. However what he is, is something entirely unique and still absolutely capable of getting 20+ goals a season for us over the next 3/4 seasons.

Gordon is very quickly becoming a favourite of mine. He just needs to stop with the reckless challenges so often. He'll get himself sent off soon if he's not careful. Been lucky on more than one occasion this season already.

Starting 11 will be interesting for this. Tonali and Isak back in perhaps. Pope Trippier Schar Botman Burn Longstaff Bruno Tonali Almiron Isak Gordon That is not what I'd pick but that is what think Howe will go with to keep players fresh. Wilson probably deserves to start and I'm not sure Almiron does but the team does need to be rotated now and then.

Evans OG. Not really ofcourse but takes a huge deflection off him. What a way to mark your comeback after 7 years.