Mazzy

Someone just needs to take him to fucking Greggs instead of spoons!

Looking at those stats that The Athletic distributed it would seem if Howe wants to bring an elite LB in then he might have to look elsewhere or wait till next summer. Miranda would be the pick of those 4 going purely on those stats because he'd offer similar to Burn defensively but WAY more than Burn in attacking areas. But ofcourse who's knows what the hell he'd actually cost and how he'd adapt to a new country and a new team.

Tierney for me is a short term option, he's 26 now and has had injury issues for a few seasons. He'd be ideal on a season long loan with an option to buy for £25M. Then we can decide come May how he's performed and if his injuries have resurfaced or not. Cucerella I think is a better option over the long term but still you'd ideally want a loan rather than a permanent move right now but I'd be more inclined to see an obligation to buy at the end of the season for him. He's got a much better track record at actually being available for games than Tierney so you'd trust him to stay fit for 90% of the season. Hall makes alot of sense and would've been perfect if we could've got him in right at the start of the window before his new contract was signed. He's obviously got way less experience than the other two so perhaps couldn't make the impact this season that we'd need him to. I'd be happy to see us get him permanently now rather than a loan but a loan with an obligation to buy would be alright.

He's only 19, it's certainly not a poor choice considering he'll no doubt get an 8yr deal at Chelsea and will have time to improve and earn a place. If he's good enough, he'll get into the team at Chelsea whether it's this season or not is another matter but he clearly doesn't want to hang around in the Championship and play every week else he probably would've made it clear to these clubs that want him.

Agreed. Getting someone in one of those positions strengthens the other anyway. Ideally you'd get a LB who can also play CB (Ake would've been perfect).

He's so short though. How can a player as short as Cucarella ever play at LB. It seems so awkward and just wrong. Left backs need to be atleast 6ft4 or it becomes a disadvantage for them.

Silva missing out as well as De Bruyne would be some luck on our part. Perhaps he's only being rested but if he's tweeked something surely he wouldn't be risked this early in the season.

Son does absolutely. I know we have Barnes and Gordon at LW and they both did superbly against Villa but Son would still get in this team.

The Villa win does alot to ease the nerves going into this one and there's a couple of other things that have got me slightly more confident of coming away with something. De Bruyne being out is great news and seems like Walker is doubtful also. The fact they have the Super Cup Final 3 days before is also in outlr favour, and not because they don't have a huge squad to cope with it it's mostly just because Pep will rotate and tinker with his team, and when he does that they are (occasionally) worse off for it.

Right now I agree, he's not quite there. But if he has an extraordinary season or from January onwards then its possible. Especially as Toni Kroos and Modric are out of contract next summer, Madrid need a replacements.

By the end of this season he'll have 2 years left on his contract. He's already worth well over double what we paid for him. It's not just in the interest of the player to extend his contract, its huge for the club as well. Adds an extra £10/15M on his asking price if Madrid come knocking in the summer and he's got 4 years left instead of 2.

Pains me to say it but Bruno been our worst player today.

I'd be tempted to take Miggy off for Barnes and push Gordon to the RW in the 2nd half. Wrong kind of game for Miggy really, he's been ineffective going forward.

15 minutes to go. I'm more nervous than I have been since Leicester at Home last season.

They way they beat us last season has alot to do with how people feel about Villa. The only team to beat us by more than 2 goals last year.

Anderson very unlucky. Barnes unlucky alos but IMO correct call to go with Gordon. Watkins unfortunately does play.

With Beundia out already this would be fantastic if true

After first reading that I was certain you were joking but now I'm not so sure. You're suggesting Murphy will play at RB ahead of a fully fit Trippier? There's hot takes and then there's just being wrong.

In place of who? Unless two of Miggy, Gordon and Barnes are injured I don't see that happening.

Endangers the opponent though.

Such a stupid challenge to attempt when you're 3 nil down in the 93rd minute.

15 years of solid investment throughout an entire football club will produce some remarkable contrasts to clubs run like a burger van.

Glad De Bruyne is injured, bodes well for next week. Kovavic is very good but he's not half the player.

Haaland again.

Walker stands out like a sore thumb in this City team now. So much less composed on the ball than the players around him.