sushimonster85

Actually think that will be the prompt that gets him into the team. You ideally don't want to change a winning team too much, especially when Joe, Shelvey and Willock have been some of our best performers over that run. We get beat I imagine it will be a good chance to change/freshen things up a bit.

I have a feeling we may be looking at 3 at the back. I don't see him dropping Schar or Burn, but instead adding Lascelles to them. Under Rafa Lascelles always looked much better as part of a back 3 when he had the likes of Fernandez, Lejuene or Schar around him. Reckon it will be 3 at the back with Targett and Murphy as the wing backs. Joelinton and Shelvey in the middle and the usual 3 lads up top.

I think in these early days as he gets used to the PL that would be the case. Willock plays and presses much higher up the pitch, a mistake up there and you have plenty of backup behind you. I think in the mid to long term Bruno will be playing in the role Shelvey currently does.

This has been the way I have looked at it since the start of Jan when things still weren't look too great. Given the resources we were about to (and have since spent) throw at it, and how tight it all was among the bottom 4 you would have to make us favourites to win a 4 team mini-league. Obviously things have started out even better than I expected. Even if our form dips a little now, we have given ourselves enough space to be able to just perform for the rest of the season like a bottom half side and still likely be fine. Only danger is if the bottom absolutely falls out.

Anyone know for sure how much longer we have with Fun88? Or at least how long we're supposed to have? Given the Saudi's thoughts on gambling I imagine they will likely be paid off at the end of the season so they can stick Saudi Golf/Airlines/Massage Chairs or some such on the front of the tops.

Agree. I know competition is likely going to be stiff for Raphinha (Bayern and Liverpool both interested apparently) but I feel like he should be one of our key summer targets. I really love the improvement in Fraser these past few weeks, but Raphinha is just different class. Imagine him on one side, Max on the other. Lethal.

Aye, if you have a spy on their forum a good few of them are talking about how knackered Antonio has seemed lately. They seem to think Bowen through the middle could be the answer.

Totally agree with this. I feel like people shouldn't get too excited just yet about what plans they may have for St James'/new stadium. They're still actually staffing up, which is no small job in itself, don't forget whilst Ashworth may be on the way, we're still waiting on a chief exec. Nothing will happen until all that is in place. I had to guess, I reckon the summer/early next season we will start to get wind of the plans for the new training complex, and it won't be till the end of next season that they put forward a plan for expansion/new ground. Both of these are massive projects. Training complex is more straight forward as once they have a site its all about building from scratch. Any ground expansion is going to take a lot of work... and cash.

Think Brighton have a bit of catchment area problem. They're close enough to London that a lot of the really promising kids would end up in the youth systems of the bigger teams. Obviously that may be starting to change now, but that won't become evident for another few years as kids start coming through.

Aye, like as funny as it would initially be, I don't really want them to fold altogether. Would much rather them be stuck in the National League, their fanbase still banging on about how actually they are still somehow the bigger team.

Dan Ashworth definitely on garden leave, definitely not already working from home on Newcastle stuff, promise....

I know the whole thing is abhorrent, but I always find the inclusion of Arsenal and Spurs in this 'big six' as a desperate/pathetic. Forget even a suddenly insanely rich NUFC, just decent well-run clubs like Leicester, Wolves and even Brighton are starting to knock on their door in terms of league position on a consistent basis.

I think in the long run Bruno is here to perform a similar role to the one Shelvey currently does. With more intense pressing and less red card inviting random lunges. However that's likely next season when he will more than likely have a solid/good CDM alongside him (someone like a Bissouma for example). Think Howe would ideally like to play a system that looks more like a 4-2-3-1 than the 4-3-3 we seem to have found a groove with recently. You can see a shadow of that now when we attack, often times these past few games when we go forward its been Willock who has been up closest to Wood. But yeah, the immediate problem is the midfield is currently performing so well it's hard to drop any of them. As much as I never thought I'd be saying this a few weeks ago, but I honestly think they all have to remain in place for West Ham. If we lose, or don't perform to the standards we have been recently, its then easier to look at making a change for Brentford the following week.

If there's any risk at all playing Manquillo against West Ham I'd hold him back for Brentford. Anything from West Ham would be a bonus. We need to be targeting a win against Brentford, need to be fielding our strongest possible 11. Whilst we're clearly miles away from being safe points wise, we beat Brentford and I would say we're likely out the real heat of the scrap.

Typo in art form.

Was expecting it to be a slow final hour at work, watching this RTG meltdown should carry me through to 5pm nicely.

Botman, Bissouma, and Raphinha would all be amazing signings, and somewhat realistic for a team that has survived this season and want's to make a push for the top half/top 7 next season. Would also want a LB, not sure Targett would be worth what Villa would likely try and charge us for him. Could see us making a move for Tagliafico, there were some early Jan rumours about him coming here before it went cold. I love Wilson, but we also ideally need a top class striker who can actually play 30+ games a season.