Monters

We are spending on his potential - an awful lot granted but on his potential not current form... don't see the need to force him into a game you could argue the season depends on to prove a point. If he is involved I would love him to do a well and play more moving forward if he deserves it but not just because we are signing him next season. Dummet has played PL and CL and I don't want him in the team tonight either

Sorry I need to ask why? It's an important game, the manager clearly doesn't trust him, assumption is he can't be training that well and hasn't played in ages so why start him?

Thank you... I assume smashing teams early like the West Ham game helps Arsenal stats Sheff Utd must be bloody unlucky to concede so many goals over their expected goals too... or maybe a fairly old fashioned simple game is being dressed up for the gambling industry

Saw this in another thread too - excuse my ignorance but what is the context? Is it per game or over games played in 2024 or on top of goals conceded? Genuinely puzzled at what it says other than Arsenal great Toon rubbish and Liverpool who are probably going to win the league somewhere in the middle...

It was second striker I was advocating - I would worry if it was Isak -> rotating wide forward. Isak -> alternate striker -> rotating wide forward all good. Totally agree budget constraints and we will need to sell to fund etc. but given stocks in other areas of the squad this should be doable (hopefully)

We don't have Wilson anymore... if we did I'd fully agree with you! "Apart from Liverpool's unbalanced squad" - I'd swap! Top of the league by 4 points, cup final at the weekend with the possibility of two more...

Fair enough - I should have said A / B striker but the point remains in my opinion we can't go from Isak to Gordon as the central striker options unless Isak suddenly turns into a workhorse like Shearer was and even then Al spent long periods playing on one leg... Who in the current squad plays though the middle when Isak needs to rotate? Unless we hit lucky and it's on one of Wilson's fit days! (Breaks my heart typing that as I've loved watching Wilson play but...)

Apologies if I'm misquoting you but haven't you said Isak can't press for more than 60 minutes max and Howe needs to change what he asks him to do and repeatedly criticized the lack of rotation? I am coming in late here but it reads like now you are against having another A standard striker unless we sell Issac... Surely with 5 subs, cup games etc both could get effective minutes and maybe cut down on the injuries \ fatigue issues? Again if apologies if I've jumped in without the full context but it reads like you will criticize no matter what, I'm not advocating Solanke but I think we do need 2 main strikers before resorting to Gordon etc through the middle unless Isak goes on a major training program between now and next season.

Why would the bold matter - don't like your boss then fine but you'd have no say in who it was or shouldn't

I thought Everton attempted to waste a shit ton of time at nil v nil. T Rex was taking an age over every free & goal kicks. Godfrey was down 3 times in 5 mins before getting subbed and Tarkowski climbed of the floor more times than Sly on all the Rocky’s put together

The principle is fine but who comes on? Like a lot of people I don’t understand the Hall situation but at times this season there was no one else. If I’m missing an academy / U23 product then please let me know but their results don’t suggest good sides filled with prospects.

Interesting that Radcliffe is being reported as wanting to re vamp \ move from Old Trafford, guessing they would become big opponents of stadium costs being included in FFP if this goes ahead. In my opinion we would do well to match or better timescales should we push on with changes to St. James

Has Bruno played there before? Didn't really follow him before his Toon career but assumed he played behind Paquetta in France? Also given the paucity of options are you playing Longstaff and Miley as the two sitters or is this a long term change of plan when we have more options \ signings? Interested, not just trying to be critical

There was a report this morning (possibly Telegraph) saying City would have to prove Fair Market Value but I only paid attention to the headline but yep nothing of the intensity of our made up Saudi deals

Apologies if I’m misunderstanding but that is not a heavy workload.

I agree, a centre half pool of Botman - Schar - Young Schar - Lascelles seems pretty strong... Burn then becomes a floater between left back and centre half cover. First choice left back is an issue, torn between Tino on the wrong side or buying a left back but would need to sell Targett for that and not sure who would buy Tino as first choice left back means little or no rest for him and Trippier but I think Tino needs to be and should be a starter

For me the 5 subs rule plays a massive part in this and we struggle to make one or two subs some games, especially against teams like City when there is zero drop off in quality… Pep and Klopp were desperate for the rule change as they have the biggest squads and even more important the most experience in managing with big squads.

Vague memory that they changed to Black Cats when the SoL opened as they were moving from Roker so couldn't be Rokerites any longer... Sure it was mentioned on Look North or the ITV equivalent because the presenter got abuse for suggesting Mackems as a nickname No clue where Black Cats came from to be even mentioned though to the initial link could well have been that tour you mention

100% Couldn’t agree more!

Purely my opinion but I’d pick Longstaff over him everyday of the week and twice on Sunday… Runs around a lot but falls over more and has less composure

Good question! I wouldn't swap, I think Emery made the right decision at the time as I don't think he would have been as effective in a relegation battle but he has impressed me with what he has done at Villa and possibly would have kicked on more fully this season but Eddie is my man and want him to be for a long time to come!

Who should have been rotated and when? We've been pretty short handed most of the season TBH, Anderson has been out for a while, Willock never started, Barnes and Tonali ages ago... I agree with your point in general but just don't think the options have been there pretty much all season...

Personally I don't want challenges being brought in - VAR should be used or not... Football is too fluid for challenges to work in the way cricket does which has a natural stop after every ball, plus you still see some ridiculous calls out of desperation just because they have challenges to use up... I have always been in favour of VAR but currently a little dismayed how it's gone but agree that it is hear to stay

Pleased you added that bit - sometimes you have to remember the sheer quality you are up against... Obviously totally different but I played against Gazza in a trial game, he was 18 and I was 15 - After 5 / 10 minutes I knew exactly what he was going to do every time he got the ball but I could do sweet FA about it! Couldn't even kick him Sometimes someone is just that bloody good!

Probably would have found another 5 minutes of injury time per sub too! Don't feel any aspect of the club needs criticizing for last night... as someone said earlier with a full squad we would expect to be more competitive but first half I thought we shaded it and second half exhaustion, nerves and ultimately the ref killed us