Jonas

If we don't make the top four ironically it'll be because of the money Liverpool and Chelsea have spent this window/season. Its so unfair and all about the money as I recall.

One of our forwards isn't match fit, the other can't play regularly, he's the next best option we own - as such I'd like him available for us in the very delicate situation were in.

Definitely wouldn't be loaning him out.

We physically (metaphysically and metaphorically) couldn't play our best XI and give both games our best shot. That theoretically means ASM, Wilson and Isak play yesterday which would mean there's no way any of them play the full game against Leicester. Might be too simplistic but I just cant see past it. The greatest manager of all time started the rotation thing off.

Its unprovable that playing your strongest XI every game will tire players out and fuck up your season completely because no coach does it for, presumably, reasons unknown.

He had to have been better elsewhere than he's been for us. Based on what we've seen he wouldn't have made it as far as Leeds or Burnley. Ultra reasonable thing to say would be its not worked out here and isnt going to. Best for all concerned to part way ASAP if at all possible.

It is. No Quarter-Final and not challenging for top 4 - we play a full strength team today and win. Unless people expect to win every game or go through the season using 14 players.

A League cup quarter-final is more important than an FA Cup 3rd round game surely to goodness. Same vice-versa.

Bloke was offside but Lascelles was sluggish, docile even in his attempts to do anything about it and that's not asking much phyiscally more mentally which just compounded his overall performance were physically he looked like he was on the water planet on Interstellar. He's one of those that makes his partners nervous too.

He's going to be frustrating because he attempts things. Very silky and as mentioned above was impressed with his attitude, maybe shouldn't have been expecting anything else, but wasn't waiting for service or anything. On the other hand his freekick was naff and somehow wasn't surprised about it. No14 doing nutmegs there, very Ginola-esque. He did Petrescu about six times that game.

I'd have took Orsic that Southampton have signed now. £8m for the ability to adequately alternate Wilson/Isak for 2years. Just hope were not ruling that sort of thing out.

Athleticism, pace and maybe the ability to take instruction defensively - whatever ability he has its not as a footballer. Feels harsh to attack someone who just isn't very good but the wasting a guilt edged opportunity in that one on one to deploy his only attributes and on top of that to dawdle so long, be so unaware that people will get back was total lost cause stuff and not remotely untypical.

A timely reminder for some that we've a Quarter-Final in three days time in a competition we can win as there's only one side better than us left in it on account of having a really good season largely down to very good coaching.

They'd be happier tonight to be sitting 10th and out of the league cup just so long as we'd won tonight. Tomorrow and yesterday doesn't matter, just the instant gratification of not feeling bad this instant. How many days since we restricted the best team in the country to a few half-chances on their own ground. We only play that team because we've a very important game on Tuesday.

Why not run them into the ground until we have to play the second string in much more important games while were at it?

Didn't work tonight is right but its not just to be judged on tonight. If we beat Leicester then its fully justified.

He's not going to be good enough for us that's pretty evident and maybe not for the Premier League. He's not blindingly out of his depth like some and as such I'd sooner loan them out than him.

Averaging 10-20k empty seats this season which is in line with the amount of empty seats on average since it opened. Christ! their biggest gate this season, an exception, that caused all this wasn't even a full house. Crying out for another stadium extension obviously.

We caused Leeds to "do a Leeds" even more than Ridsdale truth be told. Even with their awful signings they bludgeon finishing 4th but for our super season.

Had heard he was ill but just assumed he'd pull through, despite extremely first hand personal experience to the contrary in such matters. Gutting stuff as he seemed and was impossible to dislike as a player or manager even taking the Samp/Italy bias out of it. Have a Sampdoria shirt from his era in my drawer in my bedroom even now (with a few others) probably down to my first Italian match - Inter v Sampdoria 90/91 critical title game, was the most engrossing match I'd seen up to that point. The commentary on Vialli's goal said it all "grown men, hardended football watchers are scarcely able to turn their eyes to this, and surely its two this time, it is! the sommersault of celebration from Gianluca Vialli". RIP Luca, Grazie mio amico

I'm not discomforted by Spurs (I don't think they're better than us) or Chelsea (likewise but in transition) so its Liverpool really, if were accepting Man United have turned the corner, that's the threat to us for top 4. And all the refereeing the goes along with that. Story usually goes in their favour and against us so would be surprised if we made it. Its a lot easier though when you know its coming at some point.

Only one I can think of is perhaps the other way - Gillespie + £6m for Cole. Hindsight may judge it differently but Cole was a joke his first couple years there, Gillespie was on fire for us for a year and the £6m paid for Les.

Groundsharing with Brutal Deluxe

Frank's the real deal and smart enough to know that if someone like Spurs had the sense to come in for him, he wouldn't get time to be fairly judged and would turn them down.

Bruce was more obsequious (total in fact) towards Ashley than Pardew. Had the impression Pardew begrudgingly went along with it at times, said on the radio that we had 'difficult owners' and has tried his hand in smaller leagues overseas - Not in a million years could I see Bruce doing anything like that. He'd rather blame fans expectations and see 'his club' rot than do that and he's far too lazy to work overseas. Also probably thinks he's too good for it.