Nine

It’s not a penalty

Broken nose

Slow start again from us, but I expect them to die off again like the first half

To be fair to them they pressed really well for 30 minutes but they’ve dropped off completely now, would be a hard ask for their depleted squad to keep that up for 90. Disappointed that we didn’t manage to exploit their high line in that first half hour but we just weren’t clean enough on the ball, now they’ve died off they arnt playing as high and reckless but there is definitely space in behind for us. Second half will be ours, one more will kill it.

I think we’ll be looking at versatile forwards rather than an out and out 9, we have had a few long term targets like Ekitike and Joao Pedro that can play multiple positions across the front and I’d expect us to continue with players like these.

Expect to see a shit load of attempts to get in behind them, with a few being successful. Bruno in the number 8 position must be a scary prospect for them right now.

Hed be incredible but he won’t be coming here

I genuinely cannot believe Amorim started with that 2 in midfield vs our 3, total suicide from minute 1. Two old, immobile CMs as well. Really looking like he’s out of his depth here.

I’ve never seen them look so weak, we are playing through the midfield with no effort at all.

I guess we could add a win against Man United (14th) to that list, wouldnt look to much different

End of the road for Rooney I think

Was going to comment the same. Statements like those just won’t wash with that fanbase. Its a weak lowering expectations type of spin that they won’t want to hear out of him. He’s a great coach I’m sure, but early days suggest that this job might have been a bit of an mis match for him.

Could be his son, but he plays more like Gattusos

I’ll say it again, this guy coming in and performing at the level he has transformed us from looking like a badly coached mess to how we looked today. Early days but it’s promising stuff, he allows Bruno to play at 8 and do less of the dirty work. It works.

Jacob Woodwork strikes again

Annihilation on the right

We’ve been trying that exact move for the last 15 minutes, felt it coming as Villa have not dealt with it

The early goal is so, so huge for us. If we score early you know it’s going to be comfy 9 times out of 10. Duran royally fucked them over to, so stupid

On Christmas night..

He never has and never will be telling the truth about what we are actually planning to do, don’t know why anyone reads into it at all.

I was very wrong about not expecting Howe to move Bruno up, as I didn’t think he saw him as physically capable of being an 8 for extended periods of time. Its great how integrated Tonali is already, where would we be if the ban never happened? Mental how one player in and one position change has seen us go from looking like a badly coached mess to very solid performances.

This guy is so good at the moment.

Mourinho in

Pep’s done a good sort of management 101 job of this terrible run and made it all about him taking the focus off of the players, but some of these individual performances are terrible this season. Somethings gotta give.

Does anywhere track post hits? I’d love to see his numbers on that